Pokémon Red and Blue: Tony's Journey
by Coli Chibi
Summary: Tony Miller, Pallet Town's resident socially inept hero and Bug-type enthusiast, sets off from his tiny hometown to compete in the Kanto League, hoping to be the world's very first Champion from Pallet Town! Join him as he battles his way through Gym Leaders, an egotistical rival, a mysterious girl, and a villainous organization on his quest to fulfill a seemingly impossible dream.
1. Victory over Victreebel!

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 1: Victory over Victreebel!**

* * *

Pallet Town. A small town in the south of the Kanto region. Lying below the much more industrious and larger Viridian City, Pallet Town was considered the rustic, out of the way part of Kanto. It wasn't a city, it didn't have giant neon lights, it didn't have any stores, and it didn't have a Gym Leader or a Gym, or even a Pokémon Center. The only thing that made it worthwhile to most were the crops it produced year-round for the rest of the region to enjoy.

Pallet Town was small and the residents liked it that way. It was peaceful, quiet, and calm. Untouched by the industrialization that had gripped most of Kanto, it stood as a monument to the past. Within its borders were rice patties, fruit trees, and gardens ripe with fruits and vegetables. The roads were dirt and gravel, completely unpaved. Grass grew tall and wild. The native Pokémon were (usually) tame, and easy to domesticate...

What is a Pokémon? Well, that affords some explanation. Pokémon, also known as Pocket Monsters, are mysterious creatures that inhabit this world. They were much like animals, only much more intelligent, capable of understanding human speech and recognizing words. They came in many shapes, sizes, and elements. There were some who are less than a foot tall, and some that were twenty feet tall. Some soared through the skies, some swam through the seas, some swung through the trees of jungles and forests, and some dug miles into the ground. There were over one hundred and fifty Pokémon native to Kanto, and there were many, many more in other regions. The people of Kanto, and every other region, relied on Pokémon. For some, they were pets - for others, they were used to compete in non-lethal, totally safe Pokémon battles. Many people, such as the before-mentioned Gym Leaders made a career of battling others, and helping them train their Pokémon – and others still used Pokémon for crime. This world could not exist if all of its Pokémon were taken away; it relied on the amazing creatures completely.

As I was saying, Pallet Town was a peaceful community – "was" being the keyword, sadly.

It was a warm, sunny day. It was summer, and though it was early into the season, the weather was pleasant, and the flowers were blooming, bright blues, reds and yellows dotting the fields.

Near the edge of Pallet Town, right next to the vast and dark forests that surrounded the town, was a little girl. She had dark black hair and jade eyes. She was wearing a white t-shirt and a green skirt, along with a pair of black shoes on her feet. The girl quietly and gently searched through the bushes, her jade eyes keenly searching for her lost ball. She knew that it wasn't safe to play this close to the forest - her mother had told her so many times - but she hadn't meant to come this close. She just kicked the ball too hard, that's all. Besides that, it couldn't hurt just to take a peek, right?

Right?

The girl frowned. "Nibbles, do you see it?"

"Eeee!" her partner replied, shaking her furry head. Nibbles was the girl's Pokémon, her partner and friend, as well as her protector. She was a Rattata, a small, purple mouse-like Pokémon with scarlet eyes and a large fang poking out her mouth. Rattata were incredibly common around Pallet Town, and many children enjoyed their company as pets and companions. Nibbles and her human, named Mary, had chosen to spend this evening playing ball - when they had accidentally knocked it into the woods.

Mary huffed as she folded her arms, feeling very frustrated. "No fair!" she mumbled crossly.

"Eeeee..." Nibbles agreed, scratching a furry ear.

Mary kicked a pebble on the ground. "Now what do we do?" she asked her Pokémon. "We don't have the ball... and it's almost dinner-time, too! Mommy will come looking..."

"Eeeee," the Mouse Pokémon said with a nod.

Mary sighed unhappily. "Oooooh..." the young girl said with a pout. "Let's go... This place is scary, anyways!" she added, casting a wary look at the darkening forest.

"Eeee!" her partner agreed.

The girl and her Pokémon swiftly made their way back into Pallet Town, leaving the dark, creepy forest behind. If they had left the woods, they would have made it home without any sort of incident or problem.

However, the gleam of brightly painted rubber caught Mary's eye. She slowly turned her head to get a better look, and saw something shining inside a bush, glinting in a small shaft of sunlight that had made it through the canopy of the trees.

Mary grinned as she pushed through the branches and leaves. There, lying in the twisted foliage, was her red and white striped ball. "I found it!" she told Nibbles eagerly.

"Eeee!" Nibbles squeaked, feeling relieved that coming into this place hadn't been for nothing.

Mary grabbed the ball and picked if off the ground - completely unaware that in doing so, she had stepped on a thick vine that was lying on the ground. As the girl happily ran off with her ball, the green tendril slowly slithered away. A pair of beady eyes opened, and a low, growling sound gurgled from the trees above.

"Beeeeeeeeeeel..."

Slowly, a huge shape began to slide down from the trees and began to crawl after the tiny, human girl. Vines snaking across the ground, and small eyes watching the human with aggressive intent.

Mary remained blissfully unaware, her attention focused solely on her recovered treasure. She hadn't heard the creature, nor did she see it - until it had her.

She had just made it out of the edge of the woods, ball and Rattata in tow, when a green vine suddenly wrapped around her ankle and yanked her back. May screamed as she hit the ground face-first, losing her grip on her ball, which bounced uselessly away. "Nibbles!" Mary cried, tears spouting from her eyes. "HELP!" Her fingers uselessly grasped at the ground as the tendrils began to pull her back into the forest.

Nibbles swiftly noticed her trainer's predicament and ran to the small girl's aid. "Eeeee!" the Mouse Pokémon shrieked as she leaped at the tendril and sank her teeth into it.

"Beeeeeeel!" a low, guttural voice growled. The long tendril wriggled with pain, struggling to toss the Ratatta off. However, Nibbles was, as stated, a Rattata, a Pokémon infamous for its powerful fangs and vicious bite. The Pokémon held firm and sunk her teeth deeper and deeper into the vine-like limb, drawing clear blood from the beast. With an angry shriek, the beast released its grip on Mary, releasing the frightened child. Mary fell to the ground and swiftly crawled away from the vine. Remembering Nibbles, she froze and turned around. "N-Nibbles!" she cried, terrified.

The Rattata squeaked in pain as the tendrils wrapped around her, constricting her with great force. Nibbles bit and scratched as she struggled to break free, but the beast's grip was too strong. Mary laid there, paralyzed with fear, forced to look on helplessly as her best friend was choked right in front of her.

Then, she saw the Pokémon come out from the forest.

It was a large, yellow creature coming out from behind the trees, beady white eyes glaring down at its prey. It had a massive, barrel-shaped body, covered in blotches and spots. A large mouth, easily large enough to swallow Mary, was on the top of its body, with its tiny eyes below it. Razor-sharp fangs protruded from the top, along with a sweet, honey-like scent. Two large, sharp looking leaves were at its side, and a long vine was attached to the back of its huge body, which was wrapped firmly around Nibbles.

Mary felt a scream welling up inside her as the beast approached. She knew what kind of Pokémon that was - she had seen one in TV once; specifically, she had seen it on a special about Pokémon that could easily kill human beings. "A... a Victreebel..." she whimpered, terrified.

"Beeeeel..." the Victreebel growled as it eyed the girl hungrily.

"P-please!" Mary begged. "Let Nibbles go!"

"Beeeel!" the Victreebel snarled, lashing out with its limb again. The vine wrapped around the terrified Mary, easily able to grab the girl even though it was already holding Nibbles. With a hungry snarl, the Victreebel began to drag the struggling girl and her Pokémon to its open maw.

"N-no!" Mary shrieked, horrified. She was screaming and crying as she pawed uselessly at the grass and tree roots, struggling pathetically to stay alive. "MOMMY!" she cried, tears spouting from her eyes as she neared her unfortunate fate. "HELP ME! MOMMY!"

"Lucky! Confusion!"

"Freeeeh!"

Suddenly, a violet wave of shimmering energy struck the Victreebel. The Fly-Catcher Pokémon snarled with pain as its tendrils loosened around Mary and Nibbles. Mary gave a surprised sob as she hit the ground, wondering who on earth had saved her.

"Kid!" the same voice from before shouted. "Move! Get out of there!"

"N-Nibbles..." whimpered Mary as she ran from the Victreebel, heading back towards town as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. Nibbles followed, just as eager as her trainer to get out of there.

"Beeeel!" Victreebel snarled. It began to hop across the grass, its barrel-like body propelling him towards the girl. It lashed out again with its wounded vine, aiming for its fleeing meal.

Before it could hit, however, a purple and white form intercepted the attack. The whip was easily deflected from by creature. With defiant courage, it stood between the Victreebel and girl.

Mary, for whatever reason, came to a halt. She looked on with wonder as the Victreebel seethed with hatred, hissing and spitting up poison as it glared at the new arrival. It was a small Pokémon, with a fuzzy, purple body, cute red eyes, and a pair of massive white wings. "A Butterfree..." she said, amazed.

As the Butterfree glared at the angry Victreebel, refusing to give an inch, its trainer arrived. He was a young man, thirteen years of age (though he would be fourteen tomorrow), with bright blond hair. He was wearing a yellow t-shirt over a long-sleeved blue shirt, and a pair of navy blue jeans. He turned to the terrified Mary and gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Stay back, kid," he said, staring at her with icy-looking blue eyes. "We'll handle this!"

"M'kay..." Mary murmured, amazed. _W-who is he?_ she thought, staring at the brave boy with wonder.

"Beeeel!" Victreebel roared. It opened its mouth wide and spat up a huge glob of sizzling toxins in a deadly Acid attack. The disgusting poison sailed right towards the Butterfree who stared silently back, not frightened at all. She waited calmly for her trainer's orders.

"Alright," the boy said. "Dodge, and use Confusion!"

"Freeeh!" the Butterfree cried. With a flap of her wings she zipped to the side, the Acid attack missing her completely. Then, eyes glowing brightly, she unleashed a second powerful burst of mental energy into the Victreebel.

The Grass/Poison-type roared and snarled as the attack struck its tiny brain, sending spasms of agony through its plantlike body. With a wheezing shriek of pain, the Victreebel fell to the floor, twitching and moaning, drooling poisons from its gaping maw.

"Heh," the boy muttered, "all bark and no bite, just like I thought. Good job, Lucky," he told the Butterfree.

"Freeeh!" Lucky chittered happily, and relieved that the fight had been just as easy as she had thought it would be.

Mary looked up at the duo, eyes wide. This young man was a Pokémon Trainer - she could tell by the Pokéballs on his belt. He was someone who used Pokémon to battle against wild Pokemon and other trained Pokemon. This trainer was quite skilled, to take down a fully evolved Victreebel so easily.

"Hey. Little girl."

Mary blinked, shaking her head as she came back to reality and realized that the trainer was actually talking to her. He looked down at her, although he was not much taller, his ice-colored eyes full of concern. "Is your Rattata okay?" he asked.

Mary gave a relieved sigh - partially because she and Nibbles were now safe and partially because the trainer wasn't scolding her. "N-Nibbles is fine," she said, picking the bruised, but alive, Rattata off the ground. "T-thank you," she said, gratefully bowing her head, leftover tears of terror trailing down her cheek.

"Welcome," the boy said. He put his hand on the girl's shoulder. "So, wanna tell me what the heck you were thinking?!" he demanded, his voice suddenly becoming harsher.

Mary sadly bowed her head. Here came the scolding...

The boy kneeled down in front of the girl, the Butterfree still at his side, and the stunned Victreebel at his back. "Don't you know how dangerous it's been with the wild Pokémon nowadays?" he asked, staring at the girl with his cold-looking eyes.

Mary nodded. "Yes..."

"Then why would you go and do that?" the boy questioned.

Behind him, the Victreebel slowly pushed itself off of the ground with its vine. Poisons and pollen frothed from its mouth as it glared at the trainer's back. Growling hatefully, it slowly began to drag itself across the ground towards the humans and the Butterfree.

"Why would you go near the woods?" the trainer asked again.

Mary's nervous eyes couldn't meet with his, so she looked pathetically at her feet, feeling humiliated and stupid. "I... I wanted to get my ball..." she said.

The boy shook his head and sighed, though not unkindly. "Is a piece of rubber really worth your life?" he asked in a low voice.

"No..." Mary said, feeling very hot and humiliated.

"Beelll..." the Victreebel growled quietly. It raised his vine, aiming the deadly tendril straight for that boy's back...

"Now, don't do that again," the boy warned. "We can take on a Pokémon like that because we're more experienced, but you're just starting with your training. I don't want you getting into any danger, okay?"

"Okay..." Mary said, looking away from Tony. Her eyes widened. Raised above them, poised to strike, was the Victreebel's vine. "L-l..." she stuttered, terrified. Nibbles gave a frightened shriek and hid behind her trainer's legs.

"Never again, okay?" the boy repeated, still expecting a response.

"Look out!" Mary finally managed to shout.

"Beeeel!" Victreebel shrieked, thrusting its Vine Whip towards the boy and his Butterfree.

The boy, however, was completely unimpressed and completely unsurprised as he unclipped another Pokéball from his belt and dropped it to the ground. It popped open in a scarlet flash that blinded Mary for a brief moment.

"B-Beeel?!"

"Bzzzzzz!"

Mary blinked, and slowly opened her eyes. The Victreebel was staring at another Pokémon, who had a long, lance-like stinger placed right between the Fly-catcher Pokémon's terrified eyes. It was a sleek, dangerous-looking creature, built for speed and damage. Long, bluish black arms and legs held it off the ground higher than Mary was. Its insectoid body was bright yellow and striped with black, with a sharp stinger on its abdomen and a pair of bright, ruby eyes on its head. A pair of wings were perched on its back, and on its arms were two, long stingers. Mary knew of this Pokémon, too. It was a Beedrill, a Bug/Poison-type renowned for its aggressive, territorial behavior, delivering dangerous stings with all three of its stingers, each of them the length and sharpness of a well-sharpened steak knife.

The boy sighed. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this…" he muttered, shaking his head as he turned to face his opponent again. "But you asked for it, pal! Spear, Twinneedle 'im!"

"Bzzzzz!" the Beedrill cried, striking the Victreebel viciously with both stingers twice. The Victreebel shrieked as he hit the ground for yet a second time.

"Now we've got you!" the boy cried, pulling another Pokéball out and tossing it. The sphere sailed through the air and struck the Victreebel right between the eyes before popping open. A beam of scarlet energy burst from the capsule, enveloping the beast, shrinking it down, and sucking it inside. With the Victreebel inside, the ball plopped down to the grass, shaking wildly as its prisoner tried to escape.

"DING!"

The ringing sound signaled that it was safe to approach; Victreebel was caught. The boy grinned as he scooped up the Pokéball, staring into the transparent top. The Grass/Poison-type glared back at him, unhappy with being stuck inside. The boy chuckled. "Not so tough when you're in there, are ya?" he asked the Victreebel. "That'll teach you to pick on helpless kids." He turned to his two Pokémon. "Good job, Lucky, good job, Spear," he told them, giving them each a thumbs up.

"Freeeh!" Lucky said with a nod.

"Bzzzz!" Spear agreed. He struck a fighting pose and threw several stabs into the air with his stingers.

The trainer looked down at the shocked Mary and Nibbles. "Alright, kid," he said. "What's your name?"

"H-huh?" Mary shook her head, overcoming her shock. The Beedrill had appeared so fast and wiped out Victreebel even faster. "Oh... I-I'm Mary..."

"Alright, Mary," the trainer said, "which way is your home?"

Mary sighed. "I'll show you..." she said, knowing that she was in a huge amount of trouble now.

* * *

"How could you be so _stupid_?!"

The voice of an angry mother can carry far and wide, and Mary's mother, Kim, was no exception to this fact. Mary hung her head, ashamed and sorry for what she had done. There was no question in the matter - she could have very well been eaten by that Victreebel due to her own recklessness.

Mary was very much the spitting image of her mother: Kim had dark, wavy hair and jade eyes. Her skin was pale. She was wearing a blue, flower pattern dress. Her pretty face was contorted with anger and worry as she stared down at her daughter, who had just marched into her front yard with some boy. Said boy proceeded to explain that her daughter had nearly missed supper time in order to be a Victreebel's supper - and that she had gone too far into the Pallet Woods.

"I... I can't believe you'd do something like that!" Kim shouted. "You could have been killed!"

"Sorry..." Mary murmured.

"Eeeeeh..." Nibbles squeaked.

"D-don't..." Kim kneeled on the grass, and put her arms on Mary's shoulders. "Don't ever do that again," she managed to say.

"I won't..." Mary whimpered. Then, seeing that her mother was now in a much more sympathetic mood, and that she was safe at home and could express herself in private to her family, she finally broke down, tears spouting wildly from her eyes again. "W-waaaaah!" she cried, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. "Mommy! It was scary!"

"I know..." Kim said, patting her still frightened daughter on the back. "I know..."

There was a long pause to the conversation as the girl and mother embraced one another, overjoyed to see that Mary was safe from harm. The trainer looked on at the two in silence, a look of relief, happiness… and envy in his eyes. He shook it off and stepped forward.

"Hey."

Their hugging interrupted, Mary and Kim turned in unison to see the boy looking down to the two of them. "Listen to your mom," he said to Mary. "Wild Pokémon numbers have been growing lately, and they've been pushing into places that are normally safe. They've already taken Viridian Forest and now they're moving into the Pallet Woods."

Mary sniffled. "I-isn't there anything we can do...?" she asked.

The boy smiled. "That would be my job," he said, jabbing his thumb to his chest. "You're still too young - but you won't always be." He turned away, looking up to the sky. "Hmmm..." he said to his Butterfree, who was floating next to him. "It's getting late."

"Freeeeh," Lucky agreed.

The trainer reached to his belt and picked up the Pokeball containing Victreebel. "And I need to think of something to do with you…" he told it in a parent-like tone, as if he was scolding a disobedient child. "Come on guys, let's go home."

"Freeeeh."

"Bzzz."

The trainer and his Pokémon began to head off. Only the sudden shout of Mary as she chased after them brought them to a halt. "Wait!"

"Yeah?"

"I..." Mary stuttered over her words, before finally saying, "I don't even know your name!"

The trainer gave a boyish grin and waved. "It's Tony - Tony Miller!" he said. "Seeya!"

With that, he ran off, without a thank you, without an offer for payment, without anything that would be considered rewarding. He was a Pokémon Trainer - his reward was his ability to train and keep creatures that could rip humans apart and devastate cities, should they so choose. He could use this power for himself - he could use his Pokémon for crime, he could use them to gain fame and fortune, to dominate or to show off. But instead, he used his skills for others. He was a true Pokémon Trainer - he treated his Pokémon well, he cared for them, he loved them, and he thought of them as his companions and friends, rather than his tools.

It was that day when Mary knew who this Tony Miller really was - and it was that day she knew what she wanted to be. She looked from Nibbles, than to her mother, and then to her mother as she stared after Tony.

"One day... I'm going to be a Pokémon Trainer," the starstruck girl promised herself. "Just like him..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Words cannot describe how happy I will be if you actually ever read this little notice. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to read my silly little fanfiction. I really appreciate it. For those of you who have stuck with me through thick and thin, reading my stories despite my own faults and late updates, I thank you for giving me yet another chance. Here's a smiley face for you all: :D**

**If you liked this chapter, please review and let me know what you liked! If you disliked this chapter, then review and let me know what I'm doing wrong! Reviews help me know what fields I need to improve in. Besides, I like to know what you guys think. So, review away, if you'd please!**

**The next update should be up next Friday if I can manage it. If not, it'll be up on Saturday!**

**Next time: Pallet Saga: Chapter 2: My Little Ponyta (Shut up, it was the only Ponyta-related pun I could think of). **


	2. My Little Ponyta

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 2: My Little Ponyta**

* * *

The next day arrived. The sun rose up from the east, just as it always did, and gently began to illuminate Pallet Town. The summer heat began to kick in, thermometers racing to keep up with the skyrocketing temperature, not that that mattered to the natives; Kanto was a warm nation, usually just alternating between summer and spring when it came to seasons, which allowed it to produce fertile crops all year round. In fact, the closest thing they had to winter was Typhoon Season.

With the morning sun rose a woman – a beautiful, precious woman, a role-model for anyone with two X chromosomes with so much sugary-sweetness oozing out of her at all times that it was really hard not to love her.

Her name was Sally Miller, one of Pallet Town's housewives. She was a cheery woman with a bright outlook on life and a never-ending fountain of love for a heart. She lived with her family in a small, three bedroom house in the south of Pallet Town, a small home that housed many happy gathering within its halls. Despite not being a native to Pallet Town, having been born in Saffron City, Sally loved the rustic little town and the town loved her right back. She had hosted many parties and festivals, cooked many delectable dishes for bake-sales, and brought many failing gardens back from the dead. She was one of the world's finest housewives. Sure, it wasn't the most glorious job in the world, especially in a day and age of independent women with high-power jobs, but Sally couldn't care less. She loved what she did, and she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Sally, as stated above, lived in the southern edge of Pallet Town, near Lake Easel and the rice patties. The Miller Family household was a small house with white walls and a bright red roof. It was surrounded by a white picket fence and shaded by a large apple tree that grew in the backyard, its long branches stretching over the roof of the homestead. Inside, the house was as homey as it could get. The carpets were kept well-vacuumed and the floors well-polished. The furniture was plush and comfortable, and the kitchen would make a five-star chef green with envy.

On this particular morning, Sally was in her kitchen, her own personal kingdom, and doing two of the things that she loved best: preparing delicious meals and pampering her beloved nephew. The waffle iron was steaming as it heated batter into delicious chocolate-chip waffles. A large pitcher of fresh-squeezed orange juice, pulp-free, was sitting on the round, well-polished oaken table, which was set with plates, forks, and knives in preparation for a happy breakfast. A happy soft rock jive was playing on the radio as Sally scrambled a large pan full of eggs. Sally was a master-chef; she could do more with one frying pan than most people could do with an entire kitchen.

Sally was as bright and beautiful as she was every morning. Though in her thirties, she glowed with a youth that made some supermodels envious. Her skin was cream-colored, though slightly tanned from the year-round Kantonian sun. Her hair, kept in a neat ponytail, was the same color of chocolate, as were her eyes, and her voice was just as sweet. Though she had quite the varied wardrobe she tended to gravitate towards pinks and greens when picking her outfits, and as such was wearing a simple magenta shirt and a jade skirt that morning. She happily flipped eggs, checked the waffles, and made sure to put the syrup on the table, all while rocking her hips to the happy music she had playing on the radio.

She wasn't alone in this matter, either. Helping Sally was an old man, bent over and white-haired with age. He was Sally's father-in-law, Pappy. Pappy, the son of an Unovan Naval Officer stationed in Johto and a rice farmer's daughter, was a man of the sea, having served in the Kantonian Navy for years before his retirement. He was old, but still could get around – in fact, he insisted that he could get around better than a good deal of the young people nowadays. He was a salty, harsh old man, but was secretly soft and gentle around his family, who, of course, he loved deeply.

The love, however, did not stop him from trying to sneak a waffle while Sally wasn't looking.

"Don't even think about it," Sally sang. Despite the fact that her back was turned to her father-in-law she somehow was able to sense the old man innocently reaching for a particularly chocolaty-looking waffle.

Pappy scowled, his hand retreating. "The waffles are on the table," he said in his wheezing voice. "Let's sit down for breakfast already!"

"We're not ready yet," Sally replied, returning her attention to the eggs, which, of course, were nearly fried to perfection. "The eggs aren't done. Besides that, no starting breakfast until the guest of honor wakes up!"

"He's still asleep?" Pappy sighed unhappily. "The boy should've been up an hour ago!"

"Oh, don't be so grumpy!" Sally laughed. "He was out last evening on a special assignment for that patrol thing he does. He should be down soon. Sit down and be patient if you're not going to be helpful."

Seeing as how there was nothing else to do at the moment, Pappy chose to do as Sally said and pulled out his seat, wincing as he lowered himself into the chair. He regretted it almost immediately; sitting before him was a delectable spread of the finest cuisine Pallet Town had to offer. The orange juice and waffles were one thing, but there was also a tray of apple dumplings, made with apples that grew from the family tree, apples that were so bright-red that they could be mistaken for rubies. Next to the fruity pastries sat a pile of biscuits that were still steaming from the oven, begging Pappy to slather them with butter and gulp them down. Then, there were the cinnamon buns – perfectly round and dripping with glaze and cinnamon sugar. Most tempting of all, however, was the hash browns – oh, the hash browns! While not a native Kantonian dish (in fact, none of them were) the hash browns had always held a special place in Pappy's heart. Potatoes diced into shreds, fried and served while still hot, preferably with a healthy amount of ketchup and a piece of cheese on the side.

Pappy's appetite took over again, and he put on his "pitiful old man" voice. "You'd let me starve to death?" he wheezed, faking weakness. "Me? An old man who can barely get out of bed in the morning?"

Sally rolled her eyes. "You try that trick every time we do something like this," she reminded him. "It didn't work the first time, and it won't work now." She chuckled as she pulled the pan off of the stove and gently shoveled the eggs into yet another large dish. "Finally!" she announced. "We're ready."

Pappy nearly jumped for joy. "Then go wake the boy up!" he begged.

Sally nodded. "Don't touch _anything_," she emphasized, walking to her nephew's room. "Tony!" she shouted. "It's time to wake up!"

There was no answer. Sally had expected that, however, and continued on her way, arriving at the door to Tony's room. She knocked, called his name again, and, content that she wouldn't walk in on him changing, opened the door.

Tony's room was originally the house's guest room. However, when her nephew moved in, Sally knew that he needed a room of his own, so she had it renovated. It was a bit messy most of the time, as was to be expected from a fourteen year-old. The bedroom had tea green walls and a tea green ceiling. There was a large bookcase that was covered in books about Pokémon and a dresser that was covered in clothing, some dirty and some not. There was a shelf nailed to the wall, with tiny glass figurines shaped like Pokémon neatly placed on top, accompanied by plastic models of robots from popular anime, most of them in combat poses. The futon was a mess, the green and blue blankets crumpled into an indescribable pile, and the pillow had fallen to the floor. There was a TV in a small cabinet standing against the wall, a Super Nintendo plugged into it with various game cartridges piled next to it in a disheveled pyramid.

There was still no sign of Tony, but Sally wasn't worried. The window to his room, which viewed the backyard, was open. Sally smiled; she knew where her nephew was. She made her way to the window and looked outside, into the backyard.

Sure enough, there was Tony, along with Lucky, his Butterfree, and Spear, his Beedrill. They were underneath the shade of the ancient apple tree, surrounded by small Pokémon. There were Ratatta, small Normal-type Pokémon that resembled violet mice, Pidgey, tan-colored Bird Pokémon who were docile by nature and made excellent songbirds, Caterpie, green worm-like Pokémon with large yellow eyes and pink antennae, and finally Weedle, hairy worms with sharpened horns on their heads that were filled with a stinging, but non-fatal, poison.

Tony was watching the Pokémon. He often would get out of bed first thing in the morning and go outside to watch them eat their breakfasts. Though most disliked having their apple tree picked clean by wild animals, Tony loved to watch them so much that he begged Sally to not spray the house with a repellent to keep them away.

The blond-haired boy was happily watching the Pokémon scramble up the tree and pull down apples from the branches, before tossing them down to their happy friends below. The Pidgey didn't have this problem, naturally, as their wings allowed them to fly up into the canopy and pick at the apples at will. Tony had a sketchpad on his lap, and a pencil in his hand as he scribbled away at the Pokémon. While he was hardly a master artist, he didn't really care, so long as he enjoyed himself. Lucky and Spear were lounging with him. Lucky was up among the branches, enjoying the shady canopy and an apple for herself while Spear sat below, his sharp forearms behind his head as he relaxed.

"Tony!" Sally called to her nephew. "Good morning!"

Tony looked up. "Morning!" he replied, waving back.

"Happy Birthday!" Sally added enthusiastically. "Your breakfast is ready and your Pappy can't control himself for much longer, so please hurry up and come inside."

Tony grinned, standing up. "Alright," he replied. "I'll be in in a minute!" His aunt, satisfied, shut the window and made her way to the dining room. Tony looked to the tree as he folded his sketchpad underneath his arm. "You guys gonna hang out here?" he asked Lucky and Spear.

"Freeh!" Lucky replied, content to remain in the tree.

"Bzz," Spear yawned, deciding to catch some extra sleep.

Tony shrugged. "Alright. See you later!" he said, hurrying inside of his home for his birthday breakfast.

"You're late!" was the first thing that Pappy said when Tony walked into the dining room at long last.

His grand-nephew gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, dear," Sally said as her nephew took his seat at the table. "Pappy's just impatient. Now…"

Everyone clapped their hands together, bowed their heads, and said a quick prayer. "Thank you for the food!" they finished in unison, before rapidly digging in, scooping, grabbing and plopping the breakfast buffet onto their plates as quickly as good manners allowed.

It was a Miller tradition for Sally to make the birthday boy a special breakfast. It was also a tradition for Tony to make Aunt Sally a breakfast on her own birthday, seeing as how he was the only male in the family who knew how to operate a frying pan (Pappy being an old-fashioned sort of fellow who believed that cooking dinner was a woman's job and Bradley just being horrible with cooking). Of course, Sally loved to cook, and always went all-out whenever she got a chance. Sure it was hard, long work but it was worth it for her loving, if not untraditional, family.

The Millers ate and ate, and talked and talked. The head of the conversation was Tony, seeing as how it was his birthday. So, Tony talked about the one thing he knew about more than anything else: Pokémon.

"Lucky and Spear have been really great lately," he said casually, while buttering a soft biscuit. "Last night they took out that Victreebel like he was nothing at all."

"Good to hear, honey," Sally replied, her smile becoming a little nervous. Sally was fiercely overprotective of her adopted son, and loathed it whenever he went out on that… Uh… "How's that… that little thing you do again?" she asked, struggling to remember the name her nephew had given to his acts of reckless heroism.

"What little thing?"

"You know, your patrol."

"Oh." Tony finished buttering his biscuit. "You mean the Pallet Patrol." He grinned a little, very proud of the title; he came up with it himself. "It's going really well. Complaints about wild Pokémon attacks have really decreased since I started!" He smiled brightly before biting into his biscuit.

"I think it's a great thing yer doing, Tony," Pappy said with a nod. "It takes a lot of guts to take responsibility like that."

Sally nodded. "I suppose so," she agreed. "But don't overdo it," she warned her nephew. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Don't worry about it," Tony replied. "Lucky and Spear have gotten really strong. I think they might even be the strongest Pokémon in Pallet Town."

Pappy snorted. "That's not exactly a grand title, boy," he said, scooping eggs onto his plate. "Pallet Town isn't exactly known for powerful Pokémon Trainers. Besides, pride comes before the fall, so don't get overconfident!"

Tony nodded. "I know, I know," he replied, raising his hands. "I just want to keep things safe around here."

Pappy and Sally nodded in understanding. Pallet Town, as mentioned before, was a small and relatively peaceful agricultural community. Most of the Pokémon were small and relatively weak. However as of recently there had been… complications.

It happened about a year and a half ago. The Viridian Forest, the thick, maze-like forest north of Pallet Town, began to show species of Pokémon that were not native to the area. The forests normal occupants included Caterpie, Weedle, Ratatta, Pidgey and other meek, relatively harmless creatures. As of recently, however, you could find Pokémon like Magmar, a flaming, horrible monster with a fiery breath, Primeape, Fighting-type Pokémon with vicious tempers, and Rhydon, huge creatures with rocky-hides and drill-like horns that could punch holes through solid steel. The Victreebel encountered last night was also a species that had appeared as of late.

All of those Pokémon had five things in common, other than the fact that they were all Pokémon: one, they were not native to the area. Two, they were all extremely dangerous and aggressive, even more than usual for their species. Three, they terrorized any humans who were unfortunate enough to come close to them. Four, they were driving Pokémon out of the Viridian Forest and down to Viridian City and even all the way to Pallet Town, as evidenced by the hungry horde in the Miller's backyard. Finally came number five: they were reproducing and filling up the Viridian Forest – and now they were moving into Pallet Woods.

It had been terrifying for Pallet Town's meek residents. It was like a war in a distant country that they heard about on the news had suddenly landed on their doorsteps. Wild Pokémon attacks became much more common and while no fatalities had happened yet, last night's incident with poor little Mary was proof that these Pokémon were more than willing to kill if they had to.

Tony frowned. Last night had nearly ended with a young girl and her Ratatta friend being horribly digested. Had he not been there in time, she would assuredly no longer be in the world of the living. Being a hero was nice and all, but there was always that little fear that one day he might not be fast enough.

"Tell ya what, kiddo," Pappy said while he poured himself more juice. "Next time you go out on your patrol, I'll come along, too. We can cover more ground that way."

"Pappy, no!" Sally scolded. "You're too old for that sort of thing."

Pappy frowned; there she went again, playing the "you're too old" card that every young person was so fond of. "I may be old but I've still got a trick or two up my sleeve," he replied. "I'm a navy man! I'll be darned if I let some Pokémon keep me locked behind my door with my tail between my legs!" He slammed his fist on the table for emphasis, the silverware rattling in the shock-wave.

"Yeah, but you don't have any Pokémon," Tony pointed out.

"I can catch one…" Pappy muttered.

"Now that's enough, Pappy," Sally scolded gently. "Eat your breakfast. No more talk about work. Today's a very special day." She leaned over to Tony, who she was sitting next to, and kissed his cheek. "Today's the day we celebrate my baby turning fourteen years old!"

Pappy gave a brief applause while Tony blushed. "Congratulations!" the old man said, forgetting about the argument mere seconds ago. "You're practically a man, kiddo!"

Tony was as red as a fresh tomato. "T-thanks…" he said sheepishly.

"Once breakfast is over," Sally promised, putting her head on Tony's shoulder, "I'll get started on dinner. You wanted takoyaki*1 and rice, right?"

Tony nodded eagerly. "Yes please!"

"Alright, that'll be easy enough," Sally said. "Then I'll make your cake and Pappy can go out and buy ice cream."

Pappy nodded. "What flavor you want?" he asked Tony.

"Peanut butter chocolate pistachio walnut butter pecan cashew macadamia nut white chocolate chunk please!" Tony told his grand-uncle.

Pappy blinked, trying to comprehend what his grand-nephew had just said. "Eh?"

"Anything I can do to help?" Tony asked, ignoring his grand-uncle's dumbfounded expression.

"Help? Tony, it's your birthday!" Sally laughed. "Don't worry about a thing dear, we'll handle everything."

"Oh, okay." Tony smiled. "Okay, then, mind if I go on a walk, then?"

"Until dinner time?" Sally asked. "It's only breakfast, Tony."

"I know," Tony said with a shrug. "I just… you know, I like long walks. Besides, it's good exercise," he added.

Sally nodded. "Okay," she conceded, "that's fine, dear. But don't go looking for any trouble!"

It was pointless for her to say that. Tony never looked for trouble. Trouble just had a bad habit of finding him.

Still, trouble or not, there were few things Tony loved more than his long, long walks. He'd leave home with Lucky and Spear for hours at a time, and they'd traverse all over Pallet Town, from the flower fields to the rice patties. They had never gone farther than Kanto Route 1 but they certainly took their time. Sometimes Tony would even pack a small dinner (with Sally's permission) and come back home late into the night, tired but very happy.

Sally simply dismissed it as an adventurous phase. Hiking was a healthy activity, so she encouraged her nephew's new hobby, even buying him a pair of heavy-duty hiking boots.

Sally didn't suspect what was really going on, of course. Pappy did, though; he had seen this day coming for a long time. So it was that every time he saw Tony leave the house the old man felt a strange mixture of pride and sadness. It wouldn't be long now.

Tony would leave and he would leave for good.

* * *

Breakfast eventually ended. Aunt Sally started on the dishes and Pappy went out to buy the ice cream, still not quite sure what it was that Tony had wanted. Tony gathered Lucky and Spear, put on his hiking boots, grabbed a canteen of water and a few cans of Pokémon food, bid farewell to his Auntie and left home for his walk, promising to be home in time for dinner.

It was a fine summer day, although most days in Kanto felt like one. A few puffy white clouds were floating across the open sky and a gentle but noticeable breeze blew across the open plains and forests of Pallet Town. The farmers were out in their fields or rice patties, hard at work to deliver next season's crop on time.

Ah, the carefree days of youth! Tony knew how to spend them well, simply wandering about with his friends, playing, laughing, and dreaming. It was truly a good day for a young man to turn fourteen years old – practically an adult, as Pappy had said – and be free to waste the hours away in the pristine green of Pallet Town, alone with his friends and his thoughts.

By the time noon arrived, Tony and his Pokémon friends had settled underneath a lone oak tree for shade, digging into the small lunches Tony had packed for them. They had been wandering aimlessly through Pallet for hours now, simply taking in the familiar sights.

Familiar being the keyword here. Tony had rested underneath this tree more times than he could count. He had been exploring every inch off Pallet Town since he was five. He knew this town better than he knew the back of his hand.

Tony loved Pallet Town – but he was bored of it.

The walks had helped him cope, but only a little bit. There was only so much of one place you could take. Pallet Town was just too familiar now; the only new thing that was happening nowadays was that nearly finished construction site near Easel Lake, and even then Tony wasn't all that interested in architecture. He wanted out; he wanted to see places other than home. He wanted to go Viridian City for a reason other than going grocery shopping with his aunt. He wanted to go beyond Viridian; to towns and cities like Pewter, Lavender, Cerulean, and Celadon. He wanted to see the world.

A deep, powerful wanderlust had been building in Tony for a few years now, growing stronger with every passing week. It was starting to sprout in the hearts of his Pokémon as well. Pallet Town was something truly special to them but they wanted to see the world beyond its borders.

Tony leaned against the mighty oak and sighed. To leave home, to see the sights of Kanto… The highest peak of Mt. Moon, the rushing Nugget River, the deep forests of Viridian, and that new Safari Zone thing in Fuchsia City that he kept hearing about… What he would give to go to such places, to see them and experience them for himself!

_Then again, _Tony thought to himself, _sometimes the best places to visit are the ones you can only dream about. _He shrugged to himself and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very tired.

Him, leaving home. Hah! His Auntie would never allow it.

Tony curled up as comfortably as he could against the tree, ready to take a short nap, when…

"H-h-help!"

An oaky-sounding*2 voice, filled with panic, shrieked through the air. Tony shot to his feet, his Pallet Patrol instincts switching on. "What was that?" he asked as Lucky and Spear leaped up into the air, ready for battle.

Tony's ears pricked as a slow, clopping noise began to join the man's panicked cries. With a whinnying cry of "Nyta!" a white equine-like creature burst up the hill, nearly running Tony down as it charged by, carrying a white-haired and white-faced old man on its back.

"A Ponyta!" Tony shouted, surprised. Ponyta was a Fire-type Pony Pokémon with a blazing mane and tail. Equine in shape, it was a tiny horse, only three feet tall but with a strength disguised by its tiny frame, easily able to carry a full-grown adult. Like so many Pokémon near Kanto nowadays, it was not native to the area.

"H-help!" the old man shouted, clenching the Ponyta's neck and trying to slow the Fire-type down.

Tony gritted his teeth. Pokémon had strengths and weaknesses; for example, the diet of many Bug-types consisted heavily of plant matter, so a Grass-type Pokémon (like last night's Victreebel) would be weak against a Bug-type. Similarly, Bug-types hated smoke and seemed to catch fire easily; as such, a Fire-type would be effective against a Bug-type, and both Lucky and Spear were obviously Bug-types.

Despite his evident disadvantage, Tony still found himself rushing into action to save the old man, Lucky and Spear snapping to his side without a command. While none of them had any idea why this old fool was crazy enough to try and ride a wild Ponyta, they did know that they were the only ones who could save him.

Thankfully, while Ponyta was a strong and fast Pokémon, it had a little difficulty doing both at the same time, and its passenger wasn't making things any easier for her. It was panicking wildly, bucking from left to right, its fiery mane and tail blazing brightly, forcing the old man to loosen his grip around its neck to avoid a serious burn. "W-whoa!" the man cried as the Ponyta bucked wildly, nearly throwing him to the ground and, of course, a serious injury. He wrapped his arms around the Fire-type's waist, clinging for dear life. "Help!" he shouted again.

Tony's booted feet pounded the earth as he charged after the bucking Ponyta, a plan snapping into mind. "Lucky, get in front of it and use Sleep Powder!"

"Freeh!" Lucky chittered. With a determined scowl on her mandibles, she gave her kite-like wings a mighty flap, propelling her through the air and easily allowing her to catch up to the bucking Ponyta.

"C-c-careful!" the man begged.

Lucky flattened her wings, gliding through the air above Ponyta and her unwilling rider. Her eyes locked onto her target as she circled the equine, awaiting Tony's signal.

He gave it. "Now!"

Lucky gave a mighty cry as she beat her wing like fans. Greenish dust trickled down from the Butterfree, swiftly drifting down to the Ponyta.

Ponyta's wide eyes narrowed as it accidently breathed in the dust. Butterfree wings are covered in tiny scales, most of them poisonous in some way or another, allowing the Bug/Flying-type to put enemies to sleep, stun them and, of course, poison them. Sleep Powder was naturally meant to put the target harmlessly asleep, a useful tactic for both offense and defense.

Ponyta stumbled from right to left, its black eyes growing hazy and blinking rapidly in an attempt to overcome the drowsiness. The man leaped off of the Fire-type just as it fell to the ground, fast asleep.

The man dusted off his orange sweater. "Thank goodness…" he gasped. He was tall and slightly portly, with graying, well-groomed hair. His skin was slightly tan and slightly wrinkled. He wasn't as old as Pappy was, looking to be around fifty, but he contained a venerability that was visible on his face, a look of wisdom and intelligence combined with an odd aura of kindness.

"T-thank you very much," the man gasped in his oaky voice, still a little shaken from his wild ride. "Heheheh… That's the last time I try to wrangle a wild Ponyta. Ha!" He laughed long and hard, as if he hadn't just been in a life-or-death situation. Suddenly, there was a loud "Crick!" and the old man clutched his back. "Oh… my back…"

Tony sweat-dropped. _Are you serious?_

The old man straightened his spine, resulting in another crunching sound, before turning to his rescuer. "Ahem. Thank you very much, young man," he said with a kind and grateful smile. "If you hadn't come along, my back would have been even worse off."

"It's, uh, nothing," Tony said, brushing it off.

"Please allow me to introduce myself," the old man said. "My name is Samuel Oak. You might know me as…"

"Professor Oak?" Tony interrupted in surprise.

The man smiled. "Ah, I see my reputation precedes me!"

Indeed it did. Even Lucky and Spear knew who Professor Oak was. Samuel Oak was the Pokémon Professor, the supreme authority on Pokemon research in the Kanto Region, recognized and renowned by scientists and Poke-Maniacs all across the world as one of the greatest minds of all time.

Apparently, being one of the "greatest minds of all time" wasn't anything special anymore, because Professor Oak (if that was his real name) was evidently stupid enough to climb onto the back of a wild Ponyta and try to ride it.

Tony gaped wordlessly at the grinning man. There was no way he could be Professor Oak. No way.

"I see you're speechless," Oak chuckled. "I do have that effect on people."

"Uh…" Tony stuttered.

"N-nyta…"

The labored whinnied of Ponyta signaled the Fire-type's awakening. With trembling legs, the equine slowly pushed itself off of the ground, panting smoke and fire as it cast a glare at Lucky.

"Oh, man," Tony mumbled. "Lucky, use-!"

"Now hold on a minute, young man," Oak interrupted. "I don't think that will be necessary." Before Tony could ask him what he meant, the old man had pulled out a Pokéball from his pocket. Aiming carefully, he tossed the sphere at the weakened Ponyta. The ball struck the Fire-type on the forehead and popped open, shrinking its quarry down and absorbing it into the sphere. The Pokéball plopped to the ground, trembled three times, and then announced, "DING!"

Oak smiled. "I've still got it in me," he boasted.

Tony sweat-dropped. "Uh…"

Oak plopped the Pokéball into his pocket. "You might be wondering why the great Professor Oak is in such a small place like Pallet Town," he said.

_Actually, I'm wondering if you're even Professor Oak at all…_ Tony thought.

"Well, the answer is simple," Oak continued. "I've come to study the so-called rabid Pokémon who have been appearing in the area. From what I've heard, they've made quite the mess." He grinned and patted the Pokéball in his pocket. "Looks like I've already found a specimen to examine!"

Calling several accounts of attacks on humans a "mess" was pretty farfetched by Tony's point of view, but, then again, the Professor hadn't seen that – if he even was the Professor. Speaking of which, Tony finally asked, "Are you really Professor Oak?"

"Of course I am!" Oak snorted. "And who else would I be?"

"Well," Tony said, "I just figured that the real Professor Oak wouldn't be… you know… dumb enough to get onto the back of a wild Pokémon like that. I mean, you could've been killed."

Oak turned red. "W-well," he stuttered, "I wasn't really trying to ride it… I was just looking around the edge of the woods and the next thing I know, it charges me! I tried to get out of the way, but it hit me… and somehow I ended up on top of it." He chuckled. "It's kind of funny, actually!"

"No. It's not," Tony said drily. In reality he did find it kind of amusing, but he was too dumbfounded by the ignorance of one of the world's leading mind's to notice at the moment.

Neither of them noticed the van until it actually came to a stop and honked. Tony and Oak turned to see a large moving van by the side of the road. The door swung opened and let out a gorgeous but concerned-looking woman.

She was tall, almost nine-inches taller than Tony, with long caramel-colored hair that hung down to her back. Her body was curvy and her skin was creamy in color. She wore a white sun-dress that fit her figure perfectly, and had a straw sunhat on her head.

Tony winced a little as puberty began to kick in.

"Grandpa!" the young woman shouted. "Grandpa, are you alright?"

Oak smiled. "I'm fine, Daisy, I'm fine. Thanks to this young man, anyways." He gestured to Tony, who blushed.

The woman, Daisy, bowed her head to Tony. "Thank you so much!" she gushed. "I'm sorry about my grandfather. He can be incredibly childish sometimes." She cast a quick glare at Professor Oak, who smiled sheepishly.

"Uh… It was… I mean, it was nothing," Tony said, overcoming the bizarreness of the situation at last. "I mean, it wasn't me, really, it was my Pokémon." He gestured to Lucky and Spear, who nodded proudly.

"Well, you trained them, didn't you?" Oak asked.

"Well, yeah…"

"Then it's only fair that you should receive some of the credit, too!" Oak declared, slapping the bug-catcher on the back. "You're quite the trainer, young man! Let's see, I don't think I got your name?"

"It's Tony. Tony Miller."

"Miller?" Daisy repeated, blinking her chocolate-colored eyes. Miller was not a native Kantonian name, nor was it a common one. "As in Bradley Miller, the archeologist and anthropologist?"

Oak snapped his fingers. "I remember him!" he exclaimed before Tony had a chance to respond. "The conference last year on Fossil Pokémon! He was an informed fellow. I didn't know he had a son, though…"

"I'm not his son," Tony quickly said. "I'm his nephew."

Oak and Daisy nodded in unison, understanding at last. "Oh, I see," Oak said. "Well, Mr. Miller, I believe I owe you a great deal of thanks. You saved me from a horrible injury."

"But not from a scolding," Daisy said sternly, grabbing her own grandfather by the ear. "Grandpa…" she began.

"Oh, no…" Oak winced.

Tony sweat-dropped. "Maybe if we sneak off they won't notice…" he whispered to Lucky and Spear.

"Freeh," Lucky agreed with a nod.

"Gramps! Sis!"

Oh, wonderful, there was another one! This time it was a young man who looked to be about Tony's age. He was a few inches taller than Tony was, not counting his ridiculous-looking spiked red hair, which stood up almost seven inches in the air. He was wearing a purple shirt and a pair of blue pants. His face had a serious expression with a hint of smugness.

Tony's eyes flickered with familiarity. Do I know…?

"Everyone alright?" the boy asked, walking past Tony without as much as a passing glance.

"I-I'm fine, Blue," Professor Oak replied. "Well, I will be as soon as Daisy lets me go…" He added, staring pleadingly at his granddaughter.

"Heh." The boy's mouth curved into a mocking grin. "Didn't think you'd be that stupid, Gramps."

_Neither did I_… Tony thought. Suddenly, everything about this final newcomer came together. The ridiculous red hair. The face. The obnoxious attitude.

"Blue…?" Tony said aloud, albeit unintentionally.

"That's my name," Blue Oak replied, "don't wear it…" He finally actually looked at Tony. Familiarity flickered across his eyes. "Oh, hey! It's you. Uh, Tommy…"

"Tony."

"Yeah, right. Tony. Tony Marker."

"Miller."

"Right, Tony Miller. Heh." Blue grinned again. "It's been a while."

_Not long enough…_ Tony thought bitterly.

"Blue?" Oak interrupted, hoping to change the subject. "Do you know this young man?"

"Yeah," Blue replied before Tony could say a thing. "Back when sis and I lived in Pallet Town, Tony and I went to kindergarten together. He got kicked out of school after a couple of months."

Tony's eyes bulged out of his head. His jaw gaped. Blue was actually making him look ignorant and uneducated… and in front of Professor Oak himself! Wait a second… Blue called Oak "Gramps."

_No… It can't be…_

"Blue!" Daisy scolded; well, at least _someone_ in the family was sensible.

"Is that so?" Oak asked, looking to Tony; he wasn't trying to be mean, but maybe he could refocus Daisy's wrath onto Blue…

"N-no!" Tony exclaimed. "I wasn't kicked out! My aunt unenrolled me! She… she wanted to homeschool me instead." He decided not to mention that he had been regularly bullied and picked on in kindergarten, and that Aunt Sally had threatened to sue the school after he had come home sobbing miserably.

And who was the one who made six-year-old Tony cry? Blue-freaking-Oak.

"Tony Miller…" Daisy released Oak's ear, deep in thought. She snapped her fingers. "I remember you!" she exclaimed. "You were at the school's family picnic! Blue hit you in the head with a Frisbee." She gave her brother a scathing look, reaching for his ear.

Blue stepped backwards calmly. "Accidentally," he said defensively.

_Yeah, right…_ Tony thought. In reality, it really had been completely accidental, but you couldn't convince him of that.

"Well, isn't that nice!" Oak said with a smile. "Two friends reunited after so many long years!"

_We're not friends_, Tony thought. He wished he could say it aloud, but that would invite more conversation. All he wanted to do was get out of there was quickly as he could.

Mercifully, his chance came when Professor Oak said, "Well, Mr. Miller, we'll be sure to see you again! Feel free to drop by our home any time you'd like!"

"I-I will…" Tony stuttered. "Uh, nice to meet you, gotta go, bye!" Before another word could be said he had already turned around and was off like a shot. Lucky and Spear gave each other surprised looks before they took after their trainer, beating their wings to keep up with him.

Oak blinked. "Weird kid…" he muttered. Any other kid would have hounded the professor for an autograph. "Must be shy."

Blue nodded. "Yeah. He was always the quiet one," he agreed.

* * *

Tony swiftly shut the door behind Lucky, Spear, and himself. That done, he slumped against the entryway wall, breathing heavily and wiping sweat from his brow. Lucky began to fan his red face with her wings, and Spear kept his trainer steady.

"Tony?" Aunt Sally's voice rang out from the kitchen. "Is that you?"

"Y-yeah!" Tony replied, finally regaining enough of his breath to speak. "We're home!"

His aunt poked her head out from the hallway. "Oh, honey, you look exhausted," she said, concerned. "Are you alright?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I just ran all the way home…"

"Now why on earth did you do that?" Sally shook her head, not giving her nephew a chance to answer the question. "Never mind. Come into the kitchen and get a drink."

Tony nodded and obeyed. Before long, he was kneeling by the coffee table in the Miller's living room, nursing a large glass of ice water. In the kitchen, he could hear Aunt Sally humming and whistling as she prepared for tonight, sizzling skillets accompanying her melody. Lucky plopped down on the floor by her trainer and Spear had gone back outside to nap underneath the apple tree.

Tony sighed, but kept it quiet as to not alert his aunt. Blue was back in Pallet Town_. Wonderful_. By all accounts, he should have been happier about this. After all, Professor Oak was in Pallet Town, too. Living near a famous Pokémon scientist should have been pretty exciting for him, but he couldn't get over the fact that Blue was back in Pallet Town.

Inwardly, Tony cursed his own social skill. He must have looked so stupid in front of the Oaks. Blue was probably sniggering at him right now, just like back when they were six. Probably telling Oak about all the times that Tony had cried back in kindergarten.

Jerk…

"Freeh…" Lucky chirped, patting Tony on the back with her tiny forearm. For whatever reason, her message was clear to her trainer: "It's okay. It's not like you have to visit them or anything."

Tony slowly gave Lucky a pat on the head. "Thanks, girl," he said, cheering up a little. She made a good point (probably); Blue was probably around fourteen now, too. He had better things to do than to pick on Tony. Besides, Pallet Town was big enough for the two to coexist together. It's not like they would be…

"Oh, Tony!" Aunt Sally called from the kitchen. "Someone's finally moving into that house next door!"

Tony stood up in a shot. His weariness forgotten, he ran into the kitchen and looked out the window, where a very familiar moving van was being unloaded, supervised by Professor Oak himself.

Tony's hand found its way to his forehead. Like it or not, the Oaks were moving in.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Happy early Saint Patrick's Day to those of you lovely readers who celebrates it! :D**

**First off, I know I sounded like an absolute chauvinist when describing how wonderful Sally was. I'm sorry if that offends you, but I like the concept of anyone who is willing to stay home and put up with the zaniness of everyday life while she helps out her loved ones. Selflessness is a trait I admire in anyone, not just housewives.**

**Also, being a housewife is not a bad thing, nor is being a woman with a high-salary job. Just putting that out there. **

**Looks like Professor Oak is back in Pallet Town! Unfortunately, it seems he's eccentric to the point of being reckless – and he's brought Tony's old childhood bully Blue back as well. This can only end **_**so**_** well. **

**Will Blue be just as bad as Tony remembered? Or has his cocky rival changed his ways? Probably not, but tune in next time to see more of Tony's Journey!**

**Once again, please point out any flaws you can find in a review. :)**

**Also, for those of you who are looking for more excellent Pokémon fanfiction, the story **_**Unlikely Hero**_** by Keitei is pretty darn awesome so far. Check it out after you've reviewed this.**

* * *

**Important Note:**

**My dearest readers. Apparently there are still some paint-huffers in the government who still want to get SOPA legalized. There's a petition online that needs 100,000 votes before March 19 of this year to get sent in! Please find the petition and sign it if you are old enough to fight for our freedom!**

* * *

**Culture Time!**

*******1: Takoyaki: A Japanese ball-shaped snack believed to have been made around 1935. It's basically dough wrapped around octopus (or in this case Octillery) meat and fried. Don't worry; in the Pokémon universe, the meat comes from Octillery tentacles and is harvested without killing the Pokémon. **

***2: Oaky-sounding voice: In an interview, the original voice actor for Professor Oak in the English dub of the **_**Pokémon**_** anime, Stuart Zagnit, revealed that while auditioning to do the good professor's voice, a representative from Nintendo who was listening to the auditions requested that Zagnit act more "oaky." This led to the Professor Oak voice that many fans of the series grew to know and love. **

**Also, ****"oaky" is apparently a real wor****d. Huh.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: Pallet Saga: Chapter 3: Tony vs. Blue Round 1!**


	3. Tony vs Blue Round 1!

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 3: Tony vs. Blue Round 1!**

* * *

Sally loudly blew into her noisemaker. Pappy fired his confetti launcher, showering the guest of honor with paper and ribbons. Lucky and Spear buzzed with delight, clapping their forearms together.

"Happy Birthday, Tony!"

Tony smiled appreciatively as his loved ones serenaded him with applause. The dim lights were snapped on as he blew out the fourteen candles that dotted the round cake. The applause grew all the louder with the extinguishment of the flames, signaling Tony turning fourteen years old at long last.

The applause increased in tempo and the lights switched back on. For the moment, Tony's troubles seemed to melt away. Blue and his obnoxious persona vanished from his thoughts, as did the fact that his old bully lived right next door now. The love of his family and friends seemed to envelop him, enshroud him in warmth and comfort. It was times like this when his troubles seemed to disappear, when his dreams of adventure and travel became distant and foggy. It was times like this that made Tony completely content.

As per tradition, he cut the first slice of cake.

* * *

"Macho!"

The large grunting Pokémon easily hefted the heavy box through the door to the Oak household. All the while, Professor Oak was right behind him, saying things like, "Now be careful!" and "Set it down gently! The box says fragile!"

The moving crew consisted entirely of Pokémon; human moving crews had long been obsolete. The Pokémon whom Oak was pestering was just one member of the crew, although he probably could have gotten it all done on his own. He was a large, humanoid creature of human-height, with dark-blue skin, a reptilian face, and huge bulging muscles that would make a bodybuilder green with envy. He was called Machoke, a Fighting-type Pokémon with a love of physical activity, be it menial labor or intense Pokémon battles. The species' skills with basic heavy-lifting had made it quite popular as a work-force Pokémon.

The house was crowded with about six Machoke, either carrying boxes or scurrying off to get more. Only one human crew member was on hand, though he was only there to supervise the labor. The Machoke set down boxes in neat and organized piles as their supervisor instructed. Despite Oak's fears, the Fighting-types were working quickly, efficiently, and without any errors.

Oh, the wonders of domesticated Pokémon!

Oak finally wandered into the kitchen to rest his nerves, ensuring himself that the moving crew could handle the job. Daisy was there, putting the silverware and plates away. A cardboard box sat open on the floor, loaded with (Oak breathed a sigh of relief) dozens of undamaged plates, bowls, and cups.

"Daisy," Oak greeted. "How are things going?"

"Just fine, grandpa," Daisy answered as she sorted the forks from the spoons. "None of the plates are broken, if that's what you're worried about." She gave him a quick teasing grin before returning to her work.

Oak chuckled as he kneeled down. A quick jolt of pain ran down his spine as he bent over but he ignored it. He slowly retrieved a plate from the box, colored white with a golden rim. A church was drawn on the plate, colored gold, with the words "Andrew and Primrose" below the picture.

Oak stared silently at the plate, as if he hadn't seen it in years. He knew this plate well. He had ordered it himself, for the wedding of his only daughter, and presented it to her as a gift. For the life of him he couldn't remember a single time anyone had ever eaten off of it, even before Primrose and Andrew had…

Daisy took the plate from him. "Where do you want this one?" she asked; she knew that Oak wouldn't want it stuffed in the drawer.

"I'll think of something," Oak replied. "Just leave it on the counter for now." He looked around the kitchen. "Where did Blue get to?" he asked.

"He went up to his room," Daisy said, placing the plate on the counter. "He's probably unpacking his own stuff."

"Huh." Oak nodded. "I'll just check up on him." He started to walk off, limping a little as he did so.

Daisy noticed. "Make sure to take your pain medication," she warned.

"I will," Oak replied. Even if he tried to avoid taking his pills, Daisy would be sure to check and make sure that he did. He mentally made a note to take his pain meds before he went to bed that evening as he walked up the stairs. Even if he didn't like living each day with a pain medication to down every nine hours it was assuredly better than the alternative.

Oak sighed as he paused halfway up the steps, the throbbing in his leg skyrocketing for a second before dulling again. _Age_, he decided, _is something I will never get used to_.

Blue had already unpacked his belongings. The beds had been the first things that the crew had brought in and set up. Blue had already made his bed neatly. The dresser was set up, his clothes neatly inside. His radio was on top of the dresser, sitting next to a framed photograph, blaring an obnoxious rock tune just quietly enough that the din of the stomping workers below was able to deafen it downstairs. Blue was standing on his bed, taping a poster on the unpainted wall.

Oak greeted his grandson. Blue didn't seem to hear over the radio. He only noticed his grandfather when the radio was turned off. "Hey, Gramps," Gary said, "I was listening to that." His tone wasn't annoyed, though.

"Unpacked already?" Oak asked.

"Yeah," Blue replied.

"Good." Oak folded his arms behind his back. "Good to be home, eh?" he asked.

Blue nodded. "It's not bad, considering it's the boonies."

"Don't be like that," Oak warned.

"I'm just joking, Gramps." Blue gave a chuckle, just to emphasize his point.

Oak was hardly amused but kept his cool. "Pallet Town may be small," he said calmly, "but it is our hometown. Just because something is small does not mean that it is inconsequential."

"I know, Gramps," Blue said, turning his head so that his grandfather didn't see him roll his eyes. "I'm just fooling around, really. I'm really happy that we're finally settling down."

Oak nodded. The title of Pokémon Professor was a demanding one that carried him all around the world, forcing him grandchildren to cling to his coattails as to not get left behind. In a span of nine years they had lived in over thirteen houses, four apartments, and one hotel, and Blue hadn't cared for any of them. This move would different though, Oak had promised. This time, the Oaks were going to stay in "the boonies" permanently.

"The boonies." Where the heck had Blue heard _that_ term?

Oak sat on the edge of Blue's bed, next to his grandson. "So," the professor began, twiddling his thumbs. "I called the headmistress of Pokémon Tech the other night."

Blue groaned aloud, rolling his eyes. _Oh, here we go…_

Oak ignored him. "She said that she was willing to give you a second chance," he told his grandson, "provided you don't make a menace of yourself again."

Whether he had chosen an incorrect word or Blue was just being temperamental, Oak didn't know. His grandson's face turned bright red and he scowled, suddenly finding the wooden floor very interesting. "No thanks."

"Blue, this may be your…"

"My last chance, I know!" Blue snapped suddenly, surprising his grandfather. "I don't care. I'm not going back to PMT, and that's final."

Oak felt a headache coming on. Only his grandson would refuse an invitation and forgiveness from an academy as renowned as Pokémon Tech. "Blue…"

"I know more than the professors do, Gramps," Blue interrupted. "I know more than the other students do. There isn't anything they can teach me." He looked up at his grandfather. "Why the heck do I even need them to teach me?" he asked. "I have you. You're smarter than everyone in that stupid school put together!"

"Well, I'm not always going to be here, Blue," Oak warned. His voice was calm and somber, without any anger. "I'm not going to always be here," he repeated.

There was a long silence after that. Neither of the Oaks looked at one another. Their eyes occasionally flickered up towards Blue's dresser, specifically to the framed photo sitting on it, of a happy-looking man and woman with a much-younger Blue and Daisy at their sides: the late Primrose Oak and Andrew Pines, Blue's parents. They had died almost nine years ago in a horrible laboratory accident.

Blue sighed. "I'm not going back," he said with finality.

Oak nodded. "If that's what you want."

Blue looked up at his grandfather. "A Pokémon," he said.

"Eh?"

"I want a Pokémon," Blue explained. "I'm going to be a trainer, remember? I'm going to need one of my own to train."

"Huh." Oak nodded once. "A Pokémon. What kind?"

Blue shrugged. "I don't care," he said indifferently. "Just one for me alone. I don't want any of yours – you already raised them."

Oak nodded and stood up. He gave a small chuckle, lightening the tension ever so slightly. "Alright, then," he said. "I'll think about it. You'll want to travel, too, I suppose."

Blue nodded. "Not much to stick around for in the boo… eh, Pallet Town," he said. "'Cept for you and sis."

"I'll think about it," Oak repeated. "You know, as long as you're here, maybe you should try to make friends with that Miller boy again. He seemed pretty nice, and you both seem to have a fondness for Pokémon."

Blue snorted. "Yeah, right," he said.

Oak opened the door. "Well," he said, "aren't you coming?"

"Coming where?"

"To get your Pokémon."

Blue stood up, surprised. "You said you would think about it," he said dumbly. "That always means no."

"Not always," Oak chuckled. "I thought about it," he said, "and I think it's a fine idea. Come on. I have a few new ones that might catch your interest."

If Blue wasn't trying hard to keep his "cool" attitude and pride intact he might have hugged his grandfather.

* * *

The next day arrived as brilliantly as yesterday had. The sun rose, the moon fell, and the clouds replaced the stars. The people of Pallet Town began their daily schedules once again.

Tony woke up later that morning. Last night he had stayed up longer than he usually had, enjoying the party with his family and enjoying the first moments of being fourteen. By the time that he was finally too tired to go on it was eleven at night.

Tony yawned loudly as he pushed himself out of futon, rubbing his eyes blearily as he came to his senses. Lucky and Spear were still fast asleep, Lucky suspended above Tony's futon in a green hammock and Spear sleeping in a TV box with a pillow and a blanket shoved inside. The Beedrill had once slept above Tony's bed like Lucky had, but one night, three years ago, his hammock had broken and he had landed on Tony and accidentally stung him on the knee. The Bug/Poison-type was lucky that Aunt Sally hadn't flung him out of the house that night; Tony had had to go to the emergency room to get the wound stitched up.

Before long, Tony had changed from his pajamas to a green t-shirt and a pair of brown shorts. He combed his unruly blond hair as best he could (it was still relatively messy, but, hey, what can you do?) and stepped out into the hall, ready to begin the new day.

He could hear voices coming from the kitchen. Both were female. Maybe Aunt Sally had a friend over.

He didn't recognize the voice until he finally walked into the kitchen. Daisy Oak was sitting at the table with Aunt Sally, both of them nursing cups of coffee as they eagerly chatted with one another. None of the Millers had been close with the old man who had lived next door to them previously (none of them even remembered his name), so new neighbors were much appreciated.

The moment he saw Daisy's face, Tony felt a flash of panic. Was Blue here, too?

Sally was quick to notice her nephew. "Good morning, Tony," she greeted. "You remember Daisy, don't you? You saw her last night, apparently."

Tony winced. Aunt Sally's tone wasn't threatening or upset, but it certainly wasn't as enthusiastic as it usually was. She had either switched to decaf or she was upset that Tony hadn't mentioned last night's Ponyta incident.

"Hello again," Daisy said, politely bowing her head to the boy. "I just thought I'd come over and introduce myself. My grandfather would have come, too, but he's supervising the finishing touches on his lab."

"It's no problem," Tony finally said. "Uh, Auntie, I'm going to eat my breakfast out back. Is that okay?"

"You don't have to…" Aunt Sally said. "But if you want to…"

"I do," Tony replied swiftly. He quickly made a bowl of haphazard cereal and beat a hasty retreat outside.

Daisy gave Sally an odd look. "I heard from Blue that he was shy," she said.

"He is," Sally said simply. She left it at that.

* * *

Well, that had been a close one. He almost had to _socialize_ with someone there.

Tony gave a long sigh as he leaned against the apple tree, his bowl of cereal emptied by his appetite. It was times like this that he wished Aunt Sally wasn't such a social Butterfree. Almost every time she invited someone over he wound up either reading in his room or on a walk, just to avoid having to speak with their guest.

Of course, Tony knew that he couldn't fault Aunt Sally for having friends. Her life couldn't revolve around making him happy _all_ the time. She was particularly nice about it, too: she never made him stay in the room or the house when her friends came over. Aunt Sally was just as aware of Tony's… issues as Tony was.

Well, Daisy wouldn't be over too long. Besides, she seemed nice enough, and at least she hadn't brought Blue.

"Hey, Tommy."

Speak of the devil…

Blue was leaning on the fence that divided the Miller's backyard from the Oak's, his usual cheeky grin on his face. Tony winced. Maybe if he ignored him…

"Tommy? You there? Hey!"

Tony sighed. "It's Tony," he said quietly.

Blue heard it. "Oh, so you are alive."

"What do you want?" Tony asked, though he dreaded the answer.

Blue reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metallic sphere, showing it off to Tony. It was a Pokéball. "My Gramps gave me a Pokémon," he boasted. "I'm a real trainer now."

"Congratulations," Tony replied plainly.

"I heard you were a trainer, too," Blue went on. "So, I figured I could give you a few pointers. Besides, I need _someone_ to battle around here."

So that's what this was about: Blue wanted to show off. Tony frowned, remembering his brief excursion in kindergarten. Blue had been one of those amazing students who could pull off being a troublemaker and a teacher's pet at the same time, the one who could answer every question posed but still ended up in trouble by the end of the day. Now it all made sense to Tony; Blue's grandfather was a world-famous scientist. No wonder he was so smart.

"No thanks," Tony said finally.

"What's wrong?" Blue asked. "Afraid you're gonna lose?"

"No. I'm just not in the mood," Tony replied, wishing that Blue would go away.

"Come on…" Blue's voice took an obnoxious pleading tone. "You can't refuse a challenge to a Pokémon Battle! It's a rule in the official Pokémon League!" Technically, that rule was made to prevent official members of the league from refusing battles to trainers for trivial reasons, but trainers seemed to adhere to the rule as well, perhaps out of a desire to be official trainers of the league themselves.

"Not now," Tony said, growing very frustrated.

Blue snorted, folding his arms. "I get it. You've never had a Pokémon Battle before, have you?"

"I've had plenty," Tony said. What, did Blue think that that Ponyta had simply passed out on its own yesterday?

"I meant with a trainer," Blue specified.

"Oh." Tony blinked, realizing that for all the wild Pokémon he had battled, he had yet to battle another trainer. "Uh… Well, no…"

"Then let's do it!" Blue shouted.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Tony asked, suddenly feeling very exhausted again.

"Nope."

"Look, I don't want to battle. Battle someone else."

"Okay. Who?"

Tony paused. "Uh…" He struggled to think of another Pokémon Trainer in Pallet Town – well, one who was serious, anyways. The only one he could think of who was still in town was that little girl from the other night who would probably not put up much of a fight, not to mention that Blue would probably make her cry if she lost.

He stood up. "Look," he said, "if I battle you, will you leave me alone?"

"For today, yeah."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll wake up Lucky and Spear. Meet me by Lake Easel in about forty-five minutes and we'll have our battle."

Blue grinned. "Don't keep me waiting," he called, walking off. "Smell you later!"

"'Smell you later'?" Tony shook his head. "What is this, the eighties?" Sighing to himself, he went inside to wake up his friends.

* * *

Lake Easel was the only large body of water to be found in Pallet Town. It was a small lake, inhabited by a few Water-type Pokémon, and a popular spot for swimming during the warmer months.

Tony would often walk down to Lake Easel during his hikes. He enjoyed the crisp, clean air and the soft waves by the shore. While he was hardly an athlete, he did enjoy the occasional swim when the day was just too warm to hike. Pappy shared his grand-nephew's appreciation for the lake, fishing there a few times a week, sometimes taking Tony with him.

Today, however, Tony wasn't there to swim or fish. He was there to have a Pokémon Battle, if only to shut Blue up for a while.

As promised, he arrived at the lake, Lucky and Spear gliding behind him. Neither Bug-type was particularly happy to be there, especially Spear, who enjoyed sleeping-in immensely and was now in the mood to plant his stingers into whatever it was that Blue had brought to the table.

Blue was waiting for them, that smug smirk still on his race. "'Bout time you showed up," he said as Tony approached the sand-covered shore. "I was worried that you might try to hide under your blankey again."

Tony turned bright red. "T-that only happened once!" he retorted.

"Freeh!" Lucky agreed angrily.

Blue shrugged. "Whatever. Anyways, this is going to be a one-on-one Pokémon with no substitutions or items, okay?"

"Sure, fine," Tony said impatiently. "Lucky, you ready?" he asked his Butterfree.

"Freeh!" Lucky chirped eagerly.

"We're ready!" Tony called. "How about you?"

Blue smirked, pulling out his Pokéball and hitting the white button on the side. It popped open and out leapt a small, red-colored creature, which landed on the ground and bared its fangs. "Char!"

It was a reptilian Pokémon, its body covered in shining scarlet scales, save for its bright yellow belly. It was barely over a foot tall, standing on two legs. Its tiny forearms ended with clawed hands, and on the tip of its stubby tail was a bright orange flame.

Tony groaned, easily recognizing the Pokémon due to its popularity amongst Pokémon Trainers, especially with beginners. "A Charmander…" he muttered. "I should have known you'd pick a Fire-type."

Blue chuckled. "What, did you think I'd go after your Bug-types with a Grass-type?"

"Not really…" Tony admitted.

"Charmander!" Blue shouted, taking the initiative. "Use your Scratch attack!"

"Char!" the Lizard Pokémon growled as he ran towards Lucky, his claws bared and ready to slice into the Bug-type's exoskeleton.

"Lucky!" Tony shouted. "Fly up!"

"Freeh!" The Butterfly Pokémon nodded as she shot high into the air, Charmander passing harmlessly below her. Surprised, the Fire-type tripped over his feet and fell to the ground, sliding across the sand before coming to a halt.

Tony just managed not to laugh. Spear, on the other hand, failed miserably, bursting into a fit of buzzing amusement. If Charmander had been warm-blooded, he would have blushed in humiliation. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and looked to his trainer expectantly.

"Don't just stand there!" Blue shouted. "Get up and use Scratch again!"

Charmander growled, leaping to his feet and glaring up at Lucky. He leaped at the Butterfree, slashing with his claws once more, but ultimately fell down to the sand once more as the Butterfree floated out of his reach.

"Bzzz!" Spear laughed, slapping his knee. "Bzzz!"

"C-char!" snapped Charmander, shaking his tiny fist at the Poison Bee Pokémon.

"Charmander, keep it together!" Blue shouted.

Tony wasn't sure if he should be happy or disappointed. Sure, he was winning, but this really was pretty pitiful on Blue and Charmander's parts. He'd appreciate a little more effort. "Spear," he told his Beedrill, "knock off the laughing." Maybe that would improve Charmander's focus.

Spear wiped a tear from his eye and stopped. "Bzz…" he chuckled.

Blue gritted his teeth. "Alright!" he shouted to Tony and Lucky. "You asked for it! Time for us to take you down! Charmander," he ordered, "use Ember!"

Charmander looked at his trainer quizzically. "Char?" he asked.

"Ember!" Blue shouted, his fingers twitching wildly.

"C-char!" Charmander narrowed his eyes and glared up at the uncaring Lucky. The tiny flame at the end of his tail flared up, glowing brightly. The Lizard Pokémon leaned down, raising his tail in the air and swinging it like a whip, the flame becoming a blur of light.

"Lucky!" Tony shouted. "Get ready to dodge!"

"Char!" Charmander cried, whipping his tail into the air. Both he and Blue fully expected a scattershot of glorious fire to spout from the tip, scorching his flying opponent to a satisfying crisp. However, all that spouted from his tail was a single pathetic plume of black smoke, which floated into the air and vanished.

"C-char…?" Charmander looked up with wide eyes, seeing Lucky was completely unharmed and that all he had mustered was essentially the Fire-type equivalent of a surrender flag.

Tony sweat-dropped. "Not what I was expecting…" he admitted.

Blue groaned loudly. "You're kidding me!" he exclaimed, slapping his forehead.

"Bzzz!" Spear fell to his back laughing wildly.

Charmander scowled. "Char!" he snarled, leaping at the Beedrill with fangs bared.

"Charmander!"

"Spear!"

Both trainers quickly moved to restrain their Pokémon, Blue grabbing Charmander and holding him back while Tony returned Spear to his Pokéball. "K-knock it off!" Blue shouted.

Lucky groaned as her idiot companion was replaced inside of his Pokéball for the duration of his hysteria. "Freeh…" _Moron…_

"What's the matter with you?!" Blue demanded, shaking his Charmander lightly. "Why didn't you use Ember?"

Tony rolled his eyes; maybe Blue wasn't as smart as he had thought. "Maybe he doesn't know how to use Ember," he offered.

Blue blinked. "What do you mean?" he asked. "His butt is literally on fire! You'd think he'd be able to use it!"

"Char!" Charmander pouted, feeling offended.

"Just because he's a Fire-type doesn't mean he knows how to use Fire-type attacks yet," Tony explained. "How long have you had him for?"

Blue did a quick calculation in his head. "About… eh, since last night, so… maybe fourteen hours."

Tony groaned, running a hand through his blond hair. "Okay… Have you trained him any?"

"That's why I was battling you."

"My Pokémon are fully evolved, though."

"Yeah, but we had a type-advantage. I thought we could win."

"Well… You can't."

Blue huffed. "Could so," he argued.

If Tony had still been six, he might have argued with Blue. He was fourteen now, though, and quite proud of that. Aside from that, he knew that arguing with Blue would just prolong his time with him, a fate he'd prefer to avoid. "It's over," he said. "Come on, Lucky, let's go home."

To his credit, Blue was at the very least a good loser – for the most part. "Yeah, whatever," he replied. "We're gonna wipe you out next time, though! Don't your forget it!"

Tony didn't reply. He simply walked off, feeling oddly disappointed that Blue hadn't put up too much of a fight. Oh well. No big deal. He shrugged it off and got a move on, Lucky gliding after him. Blue and Charmander stared wordlessly after him.

Tony had gotten about ten feet away from his would-be rival when he heard the cry.

"HELP…!"

It was a girl's voice, young and full of panic. Tony's eyes narrowed and he pulled Spear's Pokéball from his belt. "Lucky! Wild one!"

"Freeh!" Lucky agreed.

"Wild one?" Blue looked around frantically, trying to discern the source of the cry. "Wild what?"

"Wild Pokémon!" Tony replied through gritted teeth.

"Help… Ack!" The panicked cry was cut off by a noisy gagging noise.

"Freeh!" Lucky said, pointing to the forest that surrounded Pallet Town.

"It's always Pallet Woods," Tony grumbled. "Do you see it?" he asked his partner.

Lucky nodded. Butterfree had especially keen eyes, even at a distance. Deep within the forest, she could see an unfamiliar Pokémon – strangling an unfamiliar girl! "Freeh!" she cried, gliding towards the scene of the attack.

Tony nodded. "Right!" he said, switching to Pallet Patrol mode and following his Butterfree.

"Hey!" Blue cried, chasing after the two with Charmander still tucked in his arms. "Wait for me! I want to help!"

"Don't bother!" Tony called over his shoulder. "You'd just get in the way!"

Blue scowled, picking up the pace. "I will not!" he screamed. "I'll show you!"

Had the situation not been so dire, the argument would have gone on a long time. Mercifully, it ended the moment they plunged into the forest and found the source of the screaming…

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Still some family mushiness in this chapter, but hopefully not as much as there was last time. XD At least it was just Oak family mushiness, right?**

**The Oaks have moved in and Blue has found himself with a Pokémon and a rival to battle with. Unfortunately for Tony, that rival is him. How will Tony cope with his former bully pestering him for fights? And who is the unfortunate girl who is being attacked?**

** Tune in next time to find out!**

**Once again, let me know if there are any problems with this chapter with a review so I can fix them. Or just review to tell me that you liked it or hated it. Just review. :D**

* * *

**Next Chapter: Pallet Saga: Chapter 4: The Boys Arbok in Town! **


	4. The Boys Arbok in Town!

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 4: The Boys Arbok in Town!*1**

* * *

The gentle waves of Lake Easel gently lapped against the teenage girl's dark skin and splashed into the soaked blue hair that hung to her lower back. The cool water felt fantastic on such a warm day, making her wish she could afford to laze about in the center of the lake and just relax.

Unfortunately for her, her parents would probably be reading the note she had left for them by now, and she wanted to put as many miles between herself and them before they started looking.

Nicole Rogers gave an unhappy sigh as she wrapped her arms firmly around her aquatic companion, making sure to keep the yellow satchel attached to her back, which contained her dry clothing, from getting soaked. She looked over her shoulder, over to the forests and marshes on the other side of Lake Easel. Deep down, she expected someone to be following her, shouting at her, screaming at her. Thankfully, no one was there, or at least no one she could see.

She mentally berated herself; her family couldn't have possibly responded so quickly. She was just being paranoid.

"Vapor?" the companion beneath her asked, its voice high-pitched and bubbly, as if it spouted water alongside its purr.

"I'm fine, Atlanta," Nicole lied. "Keep swimming, please."

"Vapor!" Atlanta cried, beating her dolphin-like tail harder as she carried herself and her trainer through the lake's water. Atlanta was a Vaporeon, a Water-type Pokémon that was only about half Nicole's size. She looked to be a cross between a fish and a fox of some sort; her body was covered in light blue scales. A white finned color wrapped about her neck, folded back to streamline her body for swimming. Despite her much larger passenger, she still travelled across the gentle waters of Lake Easel with ease.

Atlanta was Nicole's only companion, and her only friend. From this moment on, they'd be alone together, travelling the world without a care or destination, without a home to stay in, or a bed to sleep in, or good food to eat, or…

Well, okay, it was an incredibly _stupid_ plan, but it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Nicole shook her head. No, it was a good idea. It really was. There was no way she could go back… there.

She shuddered and turned her attention to the approaching shoreline. She could faintly see a few figures on the beach of Pallet Town. She frowned to herself; no need to stop in Pallet. There was no Pokémon Center there, nor did she know anyone from the tiny town. "Atlanta," she told her Vaporeon, "head towards those trees over there." She pointed to the right, to a tree-lined bank that led into the Pallet Woods.

"Vapor!" Atlanta nodded and swerved her body to the right, carrying her trainer to the foliage.

Neither one watched the news much. Neither found it particularly interesting. So, naturally, neither one knew much about the wild Pokémon in the area. You really can't blame them for what happened next.

* * *

Nicole wrung out her blue swimsuit before shoving it into her backpack. She slung the backpack over her shoulder and stood up straight, pulling out a small compact mirror and looking at herself as best she could. She was wearing a simple costume: a white blouse and a blue shirt, complete with a pair of white stockings and black shoes. Her navy hair was as neatly brushed as she could manage without a full size mirror, complete with a yellow hair-band to keep her hair straight.

She frowned as she pocketed the mirror. She had bought this outfit from a thrift store in her hometown, back when she had decided to run away. It was a used school uniform for a girl her age. She had been hoping that it would make her a little less conspicuous, but…

It was no secret to anyone that Nicole was not a native Kantonian. She was an immigrant – a foreigner. If her rather clunky annunciation of the Kantonian language wasn't clue enough, she was also black – a skin color that was rarely seen in Kanto, heavily due to the region's strict immigration laws *2.

The schoolgirl uniform, while certainly cute and comfortable, was not exactly an excellent disguise. Aside from the fact that Nicole stuck out like a sore thumb, the uniform was also used; she had gotten it at a thrift store. Still, it was better than nothing and it was the only pair of clothes that Nicole had packed, aside from her swimsuit. One has to pack light when running away from home.

"Well?" Nicole asked, spinning on one heel on the forest floor. "What do you think?"

Atlanta gave an approving purr, sharing her trainer's fondness for the lackluster disguise. "Vapor!"

"Good." Nicole pulled out her Vaporeon's Pokéball. "Now you get some rest. We have a long journey ahead of us." She returned the Water-type into the capsule and pocketed it. "In fact…" she muttered, more to herself than to her companion, "it might never end at all…"

She sighed and started walking, unaware of just how much danger she was in. To be fair, though, Pallet Woods was pretty tranquil that morning. The air was cool underneath the shroud of the thick canopy. In the distance, a Bird Pokémon was singing a merry-sounding tune. While the weather didn't cure Nicole's melancholy mood entirely, it did at the very least make the journey comfortable. All she had to do was exit the woods, walk through Pallet Town, and make her way to… wherever it was she was going. Simple, right?

Wrong.

Nicole kept to the edge of the forest, close enough that she could actually see Pallet Town through the foliage. It was a particularly hot day and she wanted to stay in the shade as long as she was able. She walked along slowly, deep in thought, unaware that she had been seen.

A pair of yellow eyes watched her from the thicker foliage. There was a quiet, hissing sound as a long, forked tongue flickered out, the powerful sensory organs recognizing the scent as that of a human.

Slowly, the beast slithered forward, its long, limbless body sliding across the ground easily. It made not a single sound as it approached its unaware prey, quickly slithering up behind her as she trudged along.

_Maybe this is a bad idea…_ Nicole was thinking, stroking her chin. _Maybe I should go home…_ She considered it, she honestly did, before shaking her head._ No, no, I can't go back. Not now. I… I'm a Pokémon Trainer! I can make a living all on my own! _

She gave a small smile, trying to assure herself that that was true. "Yeah," she said aloud to herself. "I can do this. I can…"

"Chhaaaaar!"

Suddenly, the serpentine body shot through the tall grass, zigzagging across the ground before propelling itself through the air. Nicole heard the noise and turned around just in time to see the monster leap for her. She shrieked and ducked to the ground, the creature sailing over her and crashing down into the foliage, vanishing from sight. Not bothering to try to see what it was that had attacked her, she broke out into a wild run, charging desperately for the edge of the forest and screaming all the way.

"Chhaaar!" the monster hissed, slithering after her. It made excellent time for a creature without legs, easily catching up to the girl and hissing at her heels as she desperately ran through the forest, occasionally looking back to see the horrible serpent right behind her.

"Help!" Nicole screamed. "HELP!" Her hand fumbled uselessly for Atlanta's Pokéball as she ran, each step bringing her further away from her attacker but also foiling her attempts to actually protect herself.

The monster hissed angrily, recognizing what the girl was trying to do. Coiling up its body like a spring, it launched itself into the air and landed on top of Nicole, sending them both toppling to the ground. Before she could say or do anything, a long lavender tendril had wrapped itself around her, binding her arms and legs. She reached in vain for her pocket, struggling uselessly against the coils. Her fingers grasped Atlanta's Pokéball, slipping against the smooth metallic surface.

"Chharr…" the creature hissed angrily.

Nicole's chocolate-colored eyes nearly bulged out of her skull as the creature tightened its grip immensely. A wheezing gasp escaped her lips as she squirmed in its grip, her skin becoming pale, the air spouting from her lungs as the beast constricted her, squeezing the breath from her body.

_L-little… more…_ Nicole gasped for air as she struggled to wrap her fingers around Atlanta. A little more… Her shaking hand slowly clasped the Pokéball and pulled it out of her pocket, her fingers twitching as she struggled to hit the capture device…

"Chhar!" the creature growled, tightening its grip.

A shot of pain ran through Nicole's body. Her hand twitched, her fingers slipped, and the Pokéball slid uselessly from her hand. With tear-filled eyes, the girl watched as her only hope rolled into the grass. "N-n-n…" she rasped, the grip tightening even more. Her eyes were bulging and her mouth was wide open; if the monster squeezed any harder, her head would pop off like a champagne cork. "H-h-help…" she gasped, the last of her breath leaving her lungs, her eyes rolling back into her head. Everything started to go dark.

The monster gave a predatory grin as its prey finally started to expire. It opened its mouth wide, unhinging its lower jaws as it prepared to take her head into its maw…

All it took in, however, was Spear's right jab.

There was a loud sound of tearing flesh, followed by a hissing screech of agony. The monster's grip loosened on Nicole, giving her a few short, precious breaths to sustain herself for a little longer.

"Chhaaaar!" the monster snarled, blood and saliva spilling from its wounded maw, glaring angrily at its audacious attacker. Spear was hovering over the ground, the beast's blood still dripping from his stinger.

Nicole nearly cried out for joy when the boys came. Tony and Blue ran into the forests and quickly found her, as well as her attacker. "You've got to be kidding me…" Blue gasped, tensing up.

Tony was less surprised but just as worried. The attacking Pokémon was large, almost eleven feet long, and limbless. Its body was covered in violet scales. Its head was arrow-shaped, with a large hood hanging down its neck, a pattern with a jack-o-lantern feel to it displayed proudly. It had a pair of almond-shaped eyes and a bleeding mouth filled with sharp fangs.

Tony gritted his teeth as Lucky growled. "An Arbok," the bug-catcher said. "Great."

"Chhaaaar!" the Arbok snarled, infuriated by the interruption. Shifting its coils, it rolled Nicole's limp form to its tail, raising the dark-skinned girl like she was a club. "Chhaaaaaar!" it dared Tony and Blue, shaking poor Nicole like a rag-doll.

"Who the heck is that?" Blue asked; he had never seen the girl before. Heck, he had never seen anyone with skin that dark before.

Tony ignored his would-be rival. "Lucky," he told his Butterfree, "we need to take him down without hurting that girl! Use Sleeping Pow-!"

"Wait!" Blue put his hand on Tony's shoulder, silencing him. "Don't do that!"

"Why not?" Tony asked. "We can't just attack! That Arbok could use her as a shield!"

"Look at her!" Gary pointed to Nicole; she was conscious but gasping for air once again, Arbok's grip on her tightened once more. "How's she supposed to be able to breathe if you douse her with dust, huh?"

Tony stared, surprised, still unsure of whether Blue was smart or stupid. He had a point, though: the girl was having enough trouble breathing as it was, and adding dust to the equation… "What should we do, then?" he demanded.

Blue gave a suave grin. "Leave that," he said, stepping towards the Arbok, "to me."

"What are you going to do?" Tony asked, knowing full well that if Blue's Charmander couldn't beat Lucky then it certainly couldn't beat Arbok.

"I'm going to charm it," Blue replied nonchalantly. "Watch and learn."

Tony stared for a moment. "Eh?" he said at last.

Blue ignored him. "Hey, there," he said, greeting the now-bewildered Cobra Pokémon. "Nice scales. They look good on you."

"C-chaar…?" Arbok hissed, confused.

"Look, I don't mean to be a bother or anything," Blue went on, "but could you let that girl go?"

Arbok's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Chhhaaar!" it snarled. A frothing green liquid spouted from its jaws and the snake spewed it at Blue. In a flash, the redheaded trainer leaped aside, the liquid splashing against the spot where he had been and melting the grass and earth below it into fetid slime.

"Acid!" Tony shouted. "Blue, get out of there!"

Blue chuckled. "Why bother?" he asked as Arbok readied another blast. "I've got him right where I want him! Charmander, now!"

"Char!"

Suddenly, a flash of red and yellow leapt out from the tall grass behind Arbok, landing on the Cobra Pokémon's head. Charmander growled at his fellow reptile, harshly slashing the beast across its right eye with a Scratch attack.

"Cchaaaaaaaaaar!" Arbok shrieked as blood dribbled down its face. It bucked its serpentine body wildly, struggling to dislodge its unwanted passenger. Charmander, however, was a spunky little lizard and clung to the snake like a Tauros-rider, scratching, kicking, biting, and slapping Arbok with his flaming tail.

Blue grinned. "Hah!" he shouted, raising his fist. "Gotcha, you overgrown Weedle!"

"When the heck did you set that up?" Tony asked.

Blue shrugged and chuckled despite the present danger. "I told Charmander to sneak around while you were sending your Beedrill to land the first hit," he explained. "Element of surprise, you know? I'm surprised _you_ didn't think of it." His smirk grew. "Besides, you didn't think I was going to let you do this yourself, did you? This is _my_ hometown; nobody pulls this kind of stunt when Blue Oak is around!"

Tony shook his head and sighed with a combination of frustration and amazement; oddly enough, he seemed to have forgotten that Blue had basically just used his own justification for starting the Pallet Patrol. "W-whatever. Let's just take it down, quick!"

As Tony gave the order to his unwanted ally, the Arbok hissed as it finally dislodged Charmander, sending the tiny Lizard Pokémon tumbling off of his back and down to the ground, landing right in front of the gagging Nicole. By now, Arbok's face was almost completely red and swollen. Burns, cuts, and bruises dotted its scales, dripping down to the ground like scarlet raindrops. The Poison-type was beyond enraged; never before had it been pushed so hard by such small Pokémon. The Beedrill was one thing, but this… _newt_… needed to learn its place!

Unfortunetly for Arbok, its defeat was nigh, delivered to his foes not by the lizard but by his own prey. Poor Nicole was still wrapped in the snake's coils, looking weakly down at her would-be rescuer. Her vision was foggy, so she was having a little trouble making out what it was…

Wait… was that flickering red thing…

Nicole's eyes locked right onto Charmander's tail, going wide with terror. Fire. That was _fire. _

Fire!

"F-f-fire!" the girl shrieked, suddenly breaking into a spastic, squirming fit. Arbok's eyes went wide as the girl began to somehow break free from its iron grip. "Chaaaaaar," it hissed, baring its dripping fangs and lunging for the girl's throat.

"Fire!" Nicole shrieked again as her struggling grew wilder and more powerful. She bucked her head back and promptly gave Arbok a mean and completely accidental head-butt right below the chin. The snake gagged as it bit its own tongue. Its grip loosened in surprise, and Nicole swiftly broke free and scrambled away wildly from the reptile's coils, scurrying into the tall grass. _"Fire! Fire! Call 911!"_ she screamed.

Tony and Blue sweat-dropped in unison. "Wha…?" they muttered in dumbfounded awe.

_"Fire!"_ Nicole shrieked in reply.

"C-c-chhaaaar…" the Arbok wheezed pathetically; the Poison-types was struggling to stay upright, wobbling back and forth as it forced itself to keep conscious.

Tony, overcoming his shock by the strange girl's sudden burst of superhuman strength, finally noticed that the snake's leverage was gone and its strength was depleted. He quickly took action. "Lucky, Confusion! Spear, Fury Attack!"

"Freeh!" Lucky cried, her eyes flashing brightly as she blasted the wounded reptile right in the brain. The snake was sent to the ground, sprawling and squirming and agony.

"Bzzz!" Spear buzzed. He shot at the downed Poison-type and began to rapidly jab all three of his stingers into the snake's flesh. "Bzz, bzz, bzz, bzz!" Spear grunted with each satisfying stab, until Arbok's tail intercepted his attack.

"Chaaaaaaaar!" Arbok shrieked, lashing its long body out and swatting the Beedrill aside with ease, empowered by the sheer rage flooding through its veins. Tony's previous belief was clearly wrong; the Arbok was weakened, but its anger was overriding its weariness.

"Spear!" Tony cried as the Beedrill hit the ground. "Are you okay?!"

Spear gave a buzzing growl as he pushed himself off of the ground, wiping his face carefully as he glared at the Poison-type. "Bzz…"

"Chhaar!" Arbok snarled, striking out with its tail again, this time knocking Charmander through the air and into the side of a tree. The Fire-type slumped to the ground with a pained wheeze.

"Charmander!" Blue shouted to the Lizard Pokémon. "Come on, man, walk it off!"

Charmander coughed, a plume of smoke rising from its jaws. "C-char…" he chirped as he struggled to rise up, rubbing the large bruise on the back of his head.

With two of the offending Pokémon dealt with, the Arbok turned its attention to the impudent humans who had dared. With a hiss, it opened its mouth to hurl another spray of acid at the two, eager to finish off the intruders.

"Atlanta! Water Gun!"

A stream of highly pressurized water slammed right into Arbok's back, blasting the Poison-type through the air. The reptile screamed miserably until – "BANG!" – it slammed face-first into a thick oak tree. With a might crack, the tree split in half and collapsed to the ground with an ear-shattering explosion of sound and dust. Arbok peeled away from the trunk, eyes wide and unfocused, and plopped to the ground, unconscious.

Tony and Blue looked to the tall grass in surprise. Nicole was there, standing on trembling legs, with an angry-looking Vaporeon by her side. "S-stupid snake… the dark-skinned girl muttered weakly. Then, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.

"W-whoa!" Tony cried, running forward.

"V-vapor!" Atlanta cried, nudging her trainer's side, attempting to wake her up.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tony asked, falling to his knees by Nicole's side and rubbing her shoulder.

Atlanta cast a suspicious look at the Kantonian. "Vapor…" she growled, taking a defensive stance. Water started to bubble back into her throat, and she readied another Water Gun...

Fortunately, Tony knew an angry Pokémon when he saw one, and he knew how to deal with them, whether they were wild or tame. He raised his hands. "Okay, okay," he said calmly and quitely. "Hi. I'm Tony. I'm a friend, okay?"

"Vapor?" The Vaporeon cocked her head to the side, but she did not back down from the human.

"Freeh!" Lucky agreed, landing next to her trainer. "Freeh freeh!" she told the Water-type, gesturing to Tony and then to the Arbok, and then to Tony again. "Freeh!"

"Vapor?"

"Freeh!"

Atlanta's defensive posture vanished. "Vapor," she mewed sadly, turning back to Nicole and nosing her trainer's arm. "Vapor…"

Tony gently turned Nicole over onto her back. The girl looked horrible. Her face was pale and wet with tears and sweat. For a second he thought she might be dead, but after a moment he saw her chest rise and fall. Good. She was breathing.

But, who was she…?

Tony slowly reached out with a trembling hand, blushing a little as he did so. He placed his finger underneath her wet cheek and gave it a firm rub. He pulled his hand back and looked at the tip of his finger, and then back to her cheek. Nope. It wasn't a spray-on tan. _She's not a ganguro*__3__,__ then…_ Tony thought awkwardly. He had never seen someone with skin this dark before. _Must not be from Kanto._

"Vapor!" Atlanta huffed impatiently.

"R-right," Tony said, grabbing Nicole by the shoulder and giving her a shake. "Hey, wake up," he said calmly.

Nicole didn't stir.

Tony tried a few more times to rouse her but to no avail. She had been through a lot, though. Tony knew that much. Once again there had been a wild Pokémon attack, and once again he had almost been too late to stop it.

Great.

Tony slowly pulled the girl up, wincing as he did so, and slung her over his shoulder (if he carried her into town bridal-style, Aunt Sally would probably have a heart attack). "Okay," he told Atlanta, "I'm going to take her to my house. My Auntie can help her there, okay?"

"Vapor?" Atlanta asked. She seemed almost nervous.

"It's no problem." Tony smiled kindly at the Water-type. "She's not in any trouble. We're just going to make sure she's alright."

Atlanta slowly nodded. "Vapor," she said with a nod.

"Lucky, Spear, you guys ready?" Tony asked.

"Freeh!"

"Bzz."

"Good. Blue, are you…?" Tony turned to face his would-be rival and froze.

The Pokéball rocked to the right, then to the left, and then to right before flashing, signaling a catch. "Perfect!" Blue laughed, scooping the ball off the ground. "Good job, Charmander. I knew we could do it!"

"Char?" the Lizard Pokémon groaned cluelessly.

Tony looked to the spot where Arbok had been; the Snake Pokémon was gone. Then he looked to the Pokéball in Blue's hand, then to the spot, then to the ball. He put two and two together.

_"Are you out of your mind?!"_ the bug-catcher shouted at the top of his lungs.

Blue rolled his eyes and attached the Pokéball – _Arbok's_ Pokéball – to his belt. "What are you yelling about?" he asked casually, as if he hadn't just captured a wild creature that had just tried to suffocate and devour an innocent young lady, as well as slapping their own Pokémon, and trying to kill them as well. "It's an Arbok, man! Poison-types are great for D.O.T*4."

"I don't care what they're great for! That thing just tried to _eat_ this girl!" Tony snapped. "It tried to kill us and our Pokémon and you want to _train_ it?!"

Blue snorted, his tone becoming sarcastic. "What? A Pokémon Trainer, _training_ a Pokémon?" He gasped with fake horror. "What new spore of madness is this!? Hah!" He rolled his eyes. "I'm not a little kid, _Tommy._ I mean, Charmander's butt is on fire all the time but Gramps said I could train him. I mean, if I can train a potential arsonist I think I can handle an Arbok." He snorted again. I think you're just jealous that I caught it first," he added smugly.

Tony slapped his forehead with his free hand. "I… I can't…"

"Well, we'd better head back," Blue said nonchalantly. "That weird girl probably needs some help." He gave Nicole an odd look. "Is that tan real?"

"Black people do exist, Blue," Tony said dryly, walking past the red-head with a deadpan expression on his face.

"Must be a foreigner," Blue said.

_Ya think?_ Tony thought.

"She's kind of cute, though," Blue added. "Think she'd be interested in the world's next greatest Pokémon Master?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

If Tony hadn't been weighed down by Nicole's body, he honestly would have hit the redhead – really. However, his back was starting to hurt from holding Nicole, so he figured it was time to go. Without another word, he led Lucky, Spear, and Atlanta from the forest, leaving Blue to speculate about the strange foreign girl.

* * *

"What on _earth_ have you been up to, young man!?"

Nine years ago, Tony had appeared in the Miller household with a Caterpie, begging his aunt and uncle to let him keep it. They had relented and allowed him to keep the Bug-type Pokémon, of course, which had led to the lifelong friendship between Tony and Lucky.

Today, however, Tony had arrived with a girl. A foreign girl. And a Vaporeon to boot. Needless to say, Aunt Sally was not going to let him keep her. To make matters worse, Daisy Oak was still at the Miller's house, though she was _really_ wishing that she wasn't. Watching someone scold their child was awkward enough as it was, but carrying an unconscious girl inside, slung over his shoulder like a sack of rice… Well, let's just say that Tony's second impression upon young Ms. Oak had been quite the interesting one…

Tony waited until he had placed Nicole's prone form onto the green couch in the living room before he told his Auntie and Daisy what had happened: "I was near the woods with Blue when I heard her call for help. Lucky and I went to save her and found her being attacked by an Arbok."

Aunt Sally covered her mouth. "Oh my…" she gasped.

"An Arbok?" Daisy asked. "A real Arbok?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Tony replied.

Both brunettes swallowed. Arbok were infamous as highly territorial and aggressive Pokémon, capable of crushing steel oil drums into crumpled scrap within their coils.

"Blue and I fought off the Arbok, and when she got out she and her Vaporeon helped." Tony gestured to Atlanta, who was unhappy nudging her unconscious trainer's hand. "She fainted after she knocked the Arbok out."

"Where's Blue, then?" Daisy asked, concerned.

Once again, speak of the devil…

The door to the house opened and then shut. Blue walked unannounced into the living room. "There you are," he said to Tony. "What the heck was that about? You left me in those woods! Let me know when we're going next time, okay?!"

Tony rolled his eyes. Great. Now Blue was in his house. "There won't be a 'next time'," he muttered quietly, so low that Blue hadn't heard it.

"Blue Oak!" Daisy snapped, surprising her sibling. "What on earth were you thinking?! Fighting against an _Arbok_ of all things, and with a Pokémon you haven't even had for twenty-four hours!"

Blue raised his hands. "Hey, hey, hey!" he exclaimed, backing away from his sister. "I'm fine! The pansy never stood a chance!"

"Of course it didn't!" Daisy retorted. "You had Tony and his fully-evolved Pokémon to help you out!"

Blue snorted. "I could've taken it on my own…" he muttered.

_Sure you could…_ Tony thought sardonically.

Aunt Sally quickly turned her attention to Nicole. She rubbed the girl's forehead and checked her heartbeat. "She's alive," she announced.

"I wouldn't have brought her home if she wasn't," Tony pointed out quietly.

"Poor dear…" Sally cooed. "She must have been scared stiff." She looked to the girl's arms and quickly saw the bruises left behind by Arbok's coils. "What on earth happened?"

"The Arbok had her in its Wrap attack," Blue said in a know-it-all tone. "Had it not been for me… er, us," he added, remembering whose house he was in, "she would have been snake chow!"

"Poor dear…" Sally repeated. "Tony, brew a pot of tea. She might be thirsty when she wakes up."

"Yes, Auntie," Tony said, scurrying off to the kitchen to put the kettle on.

"I can't believe an Arbok of all things showed up this close to Pallet Town," Daisy muttered. "I knew about the wild Pokémon increase, but this…" She shuddered.

Aunt Sally nodded. "Two nights ago Tony had to take out a Victreebel that was trying to eat a little girl," she said solemnly.

Daisy covered her mouth. "A… a _little girl? _I…I can't believe it…" she gasped. "Maybe moving back wasn't such a good idea…"

Blue snorted. "If the town had more strong trainers, this kind of thing wouldn't happen," he declared.

"What wouldn't happen?" Pappy's voice announced his entrance into the living room, a newspaper tucked underneath his arm and a coffee mug in his hand. He was quick to notice Nicole lying on the coach; very few foreigners had ever set foot into his home, and those who did looked nothing like her. "The heck is she?" he asked suspiciously.

"Long story," Tony said, coming back into the living room. "The tea is on, Auntie," he told Sally.

"Thank you, Tony," Aunt Sally replied.

"So, what now?" Daisy asked.

"Now we wait," Sally said. "She'll wake up soon. Until then, we just need to be patient." She turned to Tony. "Now," she said, "you beat the Arbok, right?"

Tony nodded. "Yes."

"Good. What happened to it?"

"Arbok?" Pappy asked, confused. "Where?"

"Blue caught it," Tony said disdainfully.

"Oh, good!" Daisy exclaimed, brightening up. "Now Grandpa has another specimen to research!"

"Research?" Blue snorted. "Nah. I want to train this one," he said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Sally and Daisy cried.

"My reaction exactly," Tony deadpanned.

"Could someone please tell me what's going on?!" Pappy shouted frustratedly, his cries falling on death ears.

* * *

For the moment, Nicole was at peace, lost in a serene, empty void of silence and solitude. Her mind was completely numb, no burdensome thoughts or worries, just emptiness and peacefulness.

Something wet and slimy slid across her hand. A sound, foggy and nearly indescribable, caught her ears. A moan escaped her lips, and her eyelids twitched.

"…the heck is a girl like…"

"…Pappy, don't be…"

"…Blue, I can't believe…"

"…You're just jealous…"

"Hey! She's waking up!"

"Vapor!"

The void slowly vanished as light trickled into her flickering eyes. Slowly, her consciousness returned to her. The wet slimy something stroked her face this time, again and again. "Vapor!"

"Ugh…" Nicole moaned, opening her eyes to find herself face-to-face with a relieved-looking Atlanta. The Vaporeon was happily licking her face, overjoyed to see her trainer was still alive and well.

A blond, blue-eyed boy put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked. He had been the one to announce her awakening.

"I-I'm fine…" Nicole rasped. "I'm fine. Thank you."

Everyone, save for the blond boy, looked at her oddly. It took a moment for Nicole to realize that she had replied in her native language, Unovan, rather than Kantonian. She could hardly be blamed, given the peril she had found herself in a mere hour or so ago. Her head was fuzzy, and her she began to babble uselessly as she tried to form a sentence in Kantonian.

The blond boy looked to the others. "She says she's fine," he said in Kantonian.

Nicole blinked, surprised. He could understand Unovan?

She slowly sat up, wincing as she did so. Her bruises from the Arbok still ached. Memories flooded back into her mind. This blond boy… and that redheaded one over there. They had saved her.

"Be careful," a mature-looking chocolate-haired woman soothed, getting up from her recliner to steady Nicole as she rose. "You were badly hurt…"

"I-I'm fine, really," Nicole said. "T-thank you for saving me," she told the boys, bowing her head respectively.

"It's no big deal," the blonde said.

"It's a pleasure," the red-head added, giving her a smirk. "Name's Blue – future Champion of Kanto. And you are?"

"N-Nicole," Nicole said. "Nicole…" She paused and winced, remembering that she wasn't supposed to be telling anyone her name, or at the very least her last na,e. "Nicole," she said again.

"Your full name," an old wizened man all-but growled.

"Just Nicole is fine," Nicole replied. "I'm a travelling trainer," she explained; that was true enough. "I was just heading through Pallet Woods when that Arbok attacked me. I didn't know they were native to the area."

"They aren't," said a young woman with caramel hair, shaking her head. "They aren't… Or they shouldn't be…"

"Wild Pokémon that aren't native to the area have been popping up recently," the blond explained to Nicole. "They're most in the Viridian Forest, but the weaker ones are getting pushed into the Pallet Woods."

"T-that was one of the weaker ones?!" Nicole cried, sitting up straight.

"Don't worry about it," Blue reassured her. "We took care of everything. That Arbok can't get to you now." He patted one of his Pokéballs with a suspicious grin on his face.

"You are not keeping that, Blue!" the caramel-haired woman snapped.

Nicole swung her legs over the side of the coach, smoothing out her skirt. "Uh…" she stuttered, trying to think of something to say. "Thank you for saving me," she ended up saying again.

The Kantonians looked from one to the other, obviously confused by the girl's manners.

Nicole sweat-dropped. "S-sorry," she said awkwardly. "I, uh, I'm not from around here…"

"We figured," the old man said gruffly.

"Pappy, don't be rude," the chocolate-haired woman scolded. She turned back to Nicole. "My name is Sally Miller," she said, bowing her head briefly. "You're in my home in Pallet Town. This is my father-in-law, Pappy," she said, gesturing to the old man.

Pappy gave Nicole a grunt; he wasn't one for socialization, especially with strangers.

"T-thank you for your hospitality," Nicole said, standing up. "But I really should get going."

"Are you sure?" asked Daisy. "You've only just recovered from the attack…"

"I'm fine, really," Nicole lied hastily. "I, uh, I've been through worse. Really." Well, that part _wasn't _a lie.

"Would you like some tea before you go?" Sally asked. "Tony just put the kettle on."

"No, I'm fine," Nicole said, backing out of the room, followed by Atlanta. "T-thanks so much, gotta go, seeya, goodbye!" she shouted, before turning tail and running to the front door. She seized the knob and threw the door open, running outside – and face-first right into Professor Oak's chest.

Thankfully, Oak managed to grab the doorway with is hand to steady himself, preventing himself from falling to the ground and likely requiring another pain medication for a sore back. Nicole, however, landed right on her rear-end, Atlanta narrowly dodging her falling trainer.

"Oww…" Nicole muttered, rubbing her rear unhappily. "S-sorry…"

"Oh, that's quite al…" Oak paused and looked down at the strange girl. Recognition flickered in his eyes. "Nicole Rogers?" he asked slowly.

Nicole gaped, her face going pale as she recognized him. "I… E-excuse me!" she cried, leaping to her feet and bolting past the old man, Atlanta darting behind. Professor Oak staring wordlessly after the two as Nicole slammed the door shut.

Sally and Daisy hurried into the entryway. "Grandpa!" Daisy exclaimed. "What happened?"

"Hmm?" Oak turned to the women. "Oh, nothing, Daisy. The girl just ran into me, that's all."

"You're not hurt, are you?" Daisy asked. "Do you need…?"

"I'm fine," Oak replied. "I saw you and Blue come over here, and I just thought I'd come over and introduce myself to the neighbors." He smiled at Sally. "Hello," he said, "my name is Samuel…"

"Oak?" Sally asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yes, Samuel Oak."

"Oh, my gosh, it's Professor Oak," Sally gasped.

"Yes, yes, that's me."

Sally nudged Daisy. "Why didn't you tell me your grandfather was Professor Oak?" she demanded. "Tony, Pappy!" she shouted, not giving Daisy enough time to respond. "Come in here! Professor Oak is our new neighbor!"

* * *

"More tea?"

"No thank you. I hate to be a bother."

"Oh, it's no bother at all, really!"

"You bowl, Sammy?"

"Well, I dabble in the sport…"

"What's your average?"

"Two-twenty."

"Heh. Not too bad…"

"You're not keeping it, Blue.

"Well, Gramps doesn't mind. Do you Gramps?"

"Mind what?"

"Keeping Arbok."

"Oh. Oh, sure, go ahead."

"Grandpa!"

"What?"

The conversation dragged on and on for hours on end, both families greatly enjoying the company of the other. Eventually, coffee took the place of the tea. The sun was beginning to inch towards the horizon, dipping behind the western trees and hills. None of the Millers or the Oaks noticed it, though. All of them kept talking.

Well, almost all of them.

For the second time that day Tony found himself huddled underneath the apple tree, this time with Lucky and Spear. Socializing with others was one thing, but socializing in a cramped living room with a celebrity, his pretty granddaughter, and his obnoxious grandson was something else entirely. As far as he was considered, he was done dealing with other people for the day.

He couldn't help but wonder: why was this happening to him? Everything had been fine at home up until this morning. Sure, the rabid Pokémon problem was a constant thorn in his side, but that was something he could deal with easily, a problem he and his Pokémon could solve with their fists.

You couldn't solve the Oaks with your fists. Not legally, anyways.

Yes, the Oaks seemed friendly. Very friendly. Friendly people were sociable. Both Professor Oak and Daisy seemed to really like Aunt Sally, meaning that they would likely visit quite often. _Blue_ would visit quite often. And he'd probably want to battle constantly. And eventually that Charmander of his would learn a Fire-type move to use against his Bug-types.

_Wonderful. _

He leaned back, resting his blond head on the trunk of the tree, and sighed. Today had been a very, very long day. Dinner hadn't even been served and he was already exhausted. Lucky and Spear looked pretty tired as well, Lucky giving piping yawns and Spear was already curled up in the canopy of the tree.

Tony stood up. _Time to go to bed_, he decided.

He never got a chance to. As he began to stand up, his eyes shut and his limbs went limp. With a long yawn, he slumped against the apple tree, fast asleep, the events of the eventful day fading from his mind as unconsciousness took hold.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Early update this week! I'd normally wait for Friday, like always, but a job interview and homework have forced my hand! Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Here's a familiar face for some of you who have read the much more flawed original Tony's Journey: Nicole Rogers! Yes, our Unovan friend is back in the Kanto Region again, only this time with a dark secret of some sort… It seems she ran away from home, but why would she do such a thing? What demons does she have in her past? **

**Stay tuned to find out!**

**For those of you who are looking for more awesome Pokémon fanfictions to read, be sure to check out the awesome _Pokémon Black and White: Excelsior!_ It's by my good pal Trainer Naps! Read it! It's awesome!**

* * *

**Culture Time!**

***1: "The Boys Arbok in Town!" A reference to the song "The Boys are back in Town!" by the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. **

***2: ****"Strict immigration laws."** **Real-world Japan has incredibly strict immigration laws. **

***3: Ganguro: A Japanese fashion-trend that may or may not be a more-flattering version of blackface, possibly invented by Japanese girls who wanted to emulate black celebrities. Rebellious Japanese girls who followed this trend got fake tans and wore heavy make-up. Gaguro was very popular near Game Freak's headquarters in Japan during the development of the first Pokémon games and is thought to be a possible inspiration for Jynx (though I think the Japanese fictional witch Yama-uba is a more likely candidate). Jessie and James of Team Rocket actually are shown in ganguro in one episode of the **_**Pokémon **_**anime.**

***4: D.O.T.: An expression sometimes used by people who play RPGs. D.O.T. stands for "Damage over Time," referring to an attack or ability, such as poison, that weakens the target as the battle goes on.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: Pallet Saga: Chapter 5: Magmar! Manic and Volcanic!**


	5. Magmar! Manic and Volcanic!

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 5: Magmar! Manic and Volcanic!**

* * *

It was late into the evening by the time the Oaks got back home, about ten o'clock or later. Under normal circumstances, they would have returned home earlier, but Sally Miller's hospitality had been so amazing that the hours went by without them noticing. Even Blue's snarky attitude was tamed by the woman's politeness. It was only when Pappy announced that he was going to bed that they had realized the time and politely bid their host a fond farewell, promising her a chance to visit them in the future.

Blue and Daisy bid their grandfather good night and were quick to head to their rooms and get to sleep, leaving Oak alone downstairs.

Oak switched on his video phone, a small device shaped like an arcade cabinet, only with a phone attached to the side. Video phones were quite popular throughout the world, allowing both visual and audible communication. Oak had once played a game of chess with a man halfway across the world with one of these babies.

The good professor quickly dialed in a number and hit enter, placing the phone to his ear and impatiently awaiting an answer. He wasn't kept waiting long; after two rings, the face of a dark-skinned mature woman with long dark blue hair appeared on the screen – a foreigner. Her brown eyes were wet with tears, and her cheeks were red. It was no wonder, as she had been crying all day.

"P-Professor Oak…?" the woman slurred, her voice cracked from her sobbing and wailing.

"Hello, Audrey," Oak confirmed, his voice quite concerned. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

Audrey broke out into a fresh wave of tears. "Oh, Samuel!" she wailed sorrowfully. "Samuel, Samuel! My baby is gone!" She buried her face into her hands and began to sob wildly.

Oak winced. "Your baby?"

"My Nicole!" Audrey hiccupped between sobs. "She's run away from home! It's all my fault! She's run away! She's run away!" She started to stutter and sob incoherently, her angst easily overriding her logic and reducing a formally strong and intelligent woman into a babbling banshee.

"What happened?" Oak asked.

Audrey sobbed out one word – "Fire" – and Oak understood immediately.

The Pokémon Professor gave a long sigh and shook his head. "You tried to cure her of her pyrophobia again, didn't you?" he asked.

"It's all my fault!" Audrey screamed, beating her forehead with her fists. "Why did I think that would ever be a good idea?!"

"Audrey, please!" Oak shouted, startling even himself; he hated raising his voice, especially at a woman. Thankfully, Audrey's wails became whimpers, allowing him to speak normally. "What did you do?" he asked calmly.

"R-Ralph and the boys," Audrey muttered. "They wanted to cure Nicole. I wanted to cure Nicole. We wanted her to be like us."

"What did you do?" Oak asked again, starting to become impatient.

"W-we took her to… the old mansion," Audrey coughed. "We tried to make her see that she was just being silly… that there was nothing to be afraid of… so, so, so… we sent out Flareon and… and…" Suddenly, the woman threw her head back and gave a long wail of agony and despair. "It's all my fault! _My baby is gone_!" she screamed loudly, burying her face into her hands and sobbing wildly.

"Audrey! Would you stop crying!?" Oak snapped again, slamming his fist down onto his desk in an attempt to silence Audrey's screams.

Audrey nearly leaped out of her seat, startled by the outburst.

"Nicole is fine," Oak said, taking advantage of the woman's moment of silence. "I saw her myself. She was in Pallet Town."

Audrey's eyes lit up with hope. "P-Pallet Town? Nicole? You saw her?"

Oak shrugged. "Well, she does kind of stick out…" he admitted sheepishly.

"She's alive? Is she hurt?"

Oak winced. "Well…" he began, taking a deep breath before, for whatever reason, he gave Audrey the whole unabridged story: Nicole had been attacked by an Arbok and rescued by Blue, Tony, and Vaporeon. She had run off after seeing Professor Oak and he hadn't seen her since.

Audrey didn't wail or scream, partially because she was relieved and partially because she was running out of tears. "She's alright, then…" she gasped. "The Arbok didn't get her…"

"No, it didn't," Oak said with a nod.

"S-she just ran off… on her own."

"She had her Vaporeon with her. She'll be fine. It was more than enough to handle that Arbok, even if it did get the jump on her at first."

Audrey put a hand to her chest. "I… Thank you… I'm… I'm going to Pallet so I can look for her!" she declared.

Oak raised an eyebrow. "Would that really be wise?" he asked in a cautioning tone. "After what happened… I'm almost certain that if you came looking for her, she would perceive it as threatening. I don't think she'd respond to you coming for her well, regardless of your intentions."

"B-but I need to tell her that we're sorry…" Audrey whimpered, bowing her head in shame.

"I know you are," Oak reassured her kindly, "and I think that deep down Nicole does, too. Letting her come back to you is probably the best thing. She needs time to think, to discover herself – to learn just how much she really does care for her family. And I think, personally, that this would be an excellent time for you and Ralph to reflect on how your actions can have costly consequences," he added sternly, furrowing his brow. He was honestly tempted to call the police, but the Rogers family had been his friends for a long time; he couldn't just send Audrey and Ralph to prison, not without giving them a chance to make things right with poor Nicole.

Audrey slowly nodded, feeling absolute ashamed. It wasn't easy, of course, for a mother to allow her only daughter to roam about the world unattended, but she didn't have much of a choice. "A… Alright," she decided. "I'll tell the boys what happened. Nicole will come back… when she wants to come back," she finally consented.

Oak nodded. "Good."

"Thank you for telling me," Audrey said gratefully. "I… I was so worried…"

"I know you were," Oak replied. "If I learn anything, I'll keep you posted."

"Thank you…" Audrey said again.

They cut the connection, leaving Audrey to find her husband and sons and tell them what happened and Oak to get to his work. "Blue?" he shouted, standing up.

"Yeah, Gramps?"

"Could I borrow your Arbok for a moment? I need it for something…"

* * *

"C-chhaaaaaaar…" Arbok slurred miserably. The Poison-type was slumped over on the living room couch, the powerful anesthetic Oak had administered already taking effect, dulling the creature's senses and relaxing its muscles. The already drowsy reptile's eye become misty and unfocused as sleep began to overtake it. Once unconsciousness had finally taken hold of the snake, Oak bandaged its badly battered face and got to work on getting what he needed from the Poison-type: a blood sample.

Oak slowly stuck the needle into Arbok's neck. The anesthesia did its job; Arbok never even felt the prick, nor did it realize that Oak was draining blood from it. In seconds the syringe was full of a dark red liquid. Oak removed the needle and pulled out Blue's Pokéball. "Thank you for your time," he told the reptile, shrinking it down and sealing it back inside its new home. Pocketing the ball, the professor got to work.

Oak's home was not a laboratory; his actual lab was being built near Lake Easel, just south of his home. While most of his larger tools had yet to be brought to the unfinished lab from storage, Oak was smart enough to pack what he could when he moved into his new home with his family, including the tool he would need to perform this job: his microscope.

And so began another all-nighter for the good professor. The lights were all off, save for the light above his living room desk. Oak sat down in his chair and pulled out a glass slide. Setting the slide on the table, he gently dribbled a bit of Arbok's blood on top of it. He sealed the slide and carefully placed it underneath the lens.

"Alright, my friend…" Oak cracked his knuckles and placed his eye to the scope. "Let's see what's wrong with you…"

He magnified the lens. The end of the scope drew closer and closer to the blood, going beyond what was normally visible to the human eye. Before long, he was looking deep, deep into Arbok's blood, staring right at the reptile's blood cells.

Oak raised an eyebrow. He leaned back and rubbed his eyes, and then checked again to make sure he wasn't just exhausted and seeing things. He wasn't.

Oak swiftly removed the Arbok sample from the tray and replaced it with another blood sample, this one belong to the Ponyta from yesterday, taken shortly before Arbok's sample. He slid it in place of the Arbok blood and peered into the scope.

It was just as he feared. Within the blood of both Pokémon Oak could see red and white blood cells, as he had expected – but there was something else in the samples. Something he had never seen before. Bizarre, orange-colored and spiny-looking cells floated in the blood samples. Oak didn't know what the blobs were but he did know one thing: they were not natural, at least not in the bloodstreams of these Pokémon

Oak removed the blood sample from the scope and grabbed the second one. After rummaging as quietly through his lab as possible he found what a manila envelope. He swiftly placed the blood samples securely inside. He had a friend in Fuchsia City who was an expert on chemicals and artificial enhancers – he could find out just what this stuff was.

Barely one day into Pallet Town and Oak had already discovered a major breakthrough regarding the rabid Pokémon – a major breakthrough he was beginning to wish he hadn't made. If these blood samples spoke for the rest of the rabid Pokémon… if those foreign cells were what Oak thought they were… then the only conclusion he could make was that someone was injecting those Pokémon with some kind of steroid – something to make them stronger, faster, and much more vicious.

Oak slipped the envelope into his jacket and prayed that he was wrong.

* * *

The penthouse was just like he remembered it: horrible in every single way.

Everything was dark, distorted and foggy. Everything cast an eerie shadow that seemed to blanket every inch of the ground, covering him with darkness. The furniture towered above him like derelict monuments of fallen civilizations, dedicated to cultist gods of wealth and greed.

Tony's bare feet fell silently upon the soft carpet, the blond boy whimpering with each step that he took. "H-hello…?" he called weakly, tears threatening to spill from his eyes at any moment.

There was no response; not even his echo could survive in that horrible void.

He crept along, nervously eying every shadow, jumping at every sound. Salty, warm tears were beginning to pour down his cheeks, dripping to the floor. "Hello?" he whimpered. "I… I just want a glass of water! Please don't hurt me…"

No one answered. Somehow, that was even scarier.

Then, he heard something behind him. A horrible, stomping sound, followed by an irate growl.

A strong hang grabbed his shoulder, sharp claws digging through his pajamas and into his skin. Tony whimpered in terror as dark red blood began to soak into his pajamas. His legs turning to jelly as the powerful grip crushed his shoulder with an iron crushing grip. "I-I'm…" he stuttered, turning around.

Razor sharp claws raked his face with a vicious scratch, tearing flesh away and allowing blood to pour out. Tony screamed and covered his wounds with his free arm, shivering and sobbing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he wailed, horrified by the horrible monster.

"Antonio…" something hissed from the dark. "_Shut up!_"

Tony screamed. Then he woke up.

* * *

Something cold and wet splashed over his already damp face, sending him into a spluttering fit of panic. Tony choked as cold water poured down his throat and into his nose. "S-stop, stop!" he coughed, finally regaining enough of his wit to speak coherently.

"Vapor?" someone said. The Water Gun stopped, allowing the boy to breathe.

Tony rubbed his eyes, wiping the tears away. He tried to get out of bed, only to slump face-first into the grass below. He groaned unhappily as he heard something in his back crack. He slowly opened his eyes and looked back to see his "bed" was actually the Miller's apple tree: he had fallen asleep outside – again.

Aunt Sally wasn't going to like this.

Tony gritted his teeth as he sat up, rubbing his aching back. He looked around the yard. It was early in the morning. The sun had just risen over the trees. Judging by the buzzing and chirping snores from the canopy above, Lucky and Spear had slept outside as well.

Tony slowly stood up on shaky legs, finally coming to grips that everything was alright. "It's okay," he gasped, "it's okay. It was only a dream. It was only a dream," he repeated over and over, as if it were a protective mantra. He took a deep breath and let it out. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. It was only a dream, it was only a dream.

It was always just a dream – but they always felt real. In a way, they were real. They had all happened to him in the past, and no matter how hard he tried to put that past behind him they _always_ came back.

"Vapor?"

Tony didn't notice Atlanta until after he had calmed down. The Vaporeon was sitting by his feet, staring up at him with curious eyes, her frill folded back over her neck. "Vapor?" she asked again.

Tony stared down at the Water-type. He slowly rubbed his wet face and soaked shirt. The Vaporeon had seen him having a nightmare, and used her Water Gun to wake him up.

Tony slowly smiled gratefully. "Thanks," he told the Water-type.

Atlanta nodded once. "Vapor."

Tony reached up into the apple tree and pulled a ripe red fruit from a branch. "Are you hungry?" he asked, wiping the apple off on his shirt. He leaned down to his knees, ignoring the pain in his back, and held it out to the Vaporeon. Grinning widely, Atlanta eagerly dug into the apple with her tiny fangs.

The bug-catcher slowly ran his free hand down the Vaporeon's back, his fingers gliding smoothly over her azure scales, down all the way to her finned tail. "You're a good girl, aren't you?" he asked.

"Vapor!" Atlanta agreed in-between bites.

"Is your trainer around here?" Tony asked. He figured that this must have been the same Vaporeon from yesterday. This particular species of Pokémon wasn't native to Pallet Town, and if it had been a rabid Pokémon then it probably would have just attacked him rather than trying to help him.

Atlanta finished off the apple and nodded. "Vapor," she replied.

"Huh." Tony scratched her behind the ear, earning a happy purr, whilst throwing the apple core over his shoulder with his other hand. "Wonder where she is…" he muttered.

"Atlanta!" someone in the distance cried. It shouldn't be hard to figure out who. Tony turned to see Nicole running down the road that ran down the side of the Miller's backyard, wearing only a white t-shirt and a pair of red shorts. Her dark blue hair was an absolute mess. "Atlanta, where are you?" she cried.

Tony sighed. "Hey!" he found himself shouting, getting Nicole's attention. He carefully picked the Vaporeon off the ground and held her up. "This is your Pokémon, right?"

Nicole paused at the sound of Tony's voice. She recognized Atlanta and nodded eagerly, running over to the fence. "Yes! That's her!" she exclaimed.

"Vapor!" Atlanta leaped out of Tony's arms and easily bounded over the fence to her trainer, moving with fluid grace. "Vapor," she greeted.

"Don't you 'vapor' me," Nicole scolded as her Vaporeon landed in front of her. "Where have you been?"

"Vapor," Atlanta replied. She leaped onto the edge of the fence and gestured to the apple tree with her tail. "Vapor."

Nicole turned red. "Oh…" She looked to Tony. "Did, uh, she eat one of your apples?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah."

Nicole winced and quickly bowed in apology. "I'm sorry," she said. "She didn't know that the tree belonged to your family, really! I didn't pack much food and…"

Tony raised his hand. "It's fine, really," he interrupted, surprising his guest. "I gave it to her. Wild Pokémon eat apples from this tree all the time so she can have some, too."

Nicole wiped her brow. "That's a relief," she sighed.

For whatever reason, Tony found himself talking to her. She seemed nice enough, and she wasn't related to Blue or anything like that, not like Daisy was. Besides, it wasn't every day that you got to speak with a foreigner, and while Tony was hardly a social Butterfree even he couldn't deny that she might have interesting stories to tell. "How are you?" he asked. "You know… about yesterday."

"You mean the Arbok?" Nicole asked,

"Yeah."

Nicole forced a smile. "Like I said, I've been through worse. I'm fine. Thanks again for saving me, by the way," she added.

"It's nothing, really," Tony replied. "I mean…. Somebody had to do it… and Blue helped," he added somewhat begrudgingly.

"Yeah. He seemed… uh, nice," Nicole said. "Are you two friends?"

"No," Tony answered honestly, "he used to pick on me when we were younger. He moved away a while ago but moved back two days ago."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's fine. He's really just kind of obnoxious now. At least he's not trying to conk me on the head with anything."

"Huh." Nicole looked nervously around. "So, uh, they live in that house?" she asked, pointing to the right of the Miller's home.

"Yeah."

"Oh. W-well, I'd better get going," Nicole said. "Thanks for everything, uh…"

"Tony."

"Right, Tony. Thanks."

Tony nodded as Nicole began to walk off, Atlanta following her. He was about to go inside and eat some breakfast when he paused, remembering that Nicole said she hadn't brought much food of her own. "Hey, Nicole…" he said, suddenly.

Nicole froze. "Yes?"

Tony reached up and pulled down another apple. "Catch," he said, tossing it to the girl. Nicole caught the apple and looked at Tony with a questioning expression. "It's for you trip," the bug-catcher explained.

"Oh." Nicole smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said. "I… I really had to pack light when I began my journey. My backpack is only so big." She pulled on the bag's yellow strap for emphasis.

Tony nodded. "It's really fun, right?" he found himself asking.

"What's fun?"

"Being a Pokémon Trainer. You know, traveling to new places, meeting new Pokémon, winning battles, getting badges. It's a lot of fun, isn't it?"

Nicole shrugged. "I wouldn't know…" she admitted sheepishly. "I, uh, I only really began my journey yesterday."

"Really?" Tony asked, surprised; he hadn't thought Nicole was some kind of expert trainer, but he thought she had been travelling longer than just one day.

"Yeah, really," Nicole replied. "I'm new at this. I mean, you saw what happened yesterday, with the Arbok…" She shuddered.

"You and Atlanta were the ones who knocked it out," Tony argued.

"Yeah, after it nearly strangled me to death. You and Blue had to save me first."

"Vapor," Atlanta agreed with a nod.

Nicole blushed. "I'm really not all that good at Pokémon fights… Not yet, anyway. We need a lot of practice, don't we?" she said, looking down at Atlanta and scratching her Vaporeon behind the ear. "Besides, I'm not really interested in competing in the Pokémon League. I'd rather study Pokémon than battle with them." She gave Tony an appraising look. "Though I have to say, you were pretty good yesterday," she complimented the blond. "How long have you been training?"

Tony mulled over the numbers in his head briefly. "Oh, about… nine years."

"Nine years?!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Yeah, give or take a month or two," Tony said. "I've been training my Butterfree, Lucky, the longest though. I got Spear, my Beedrill, a year after I met her." He smiled, happy to be discussing something he liked at the very least. If he had to socialize, he might as well discuss a topic that interested him.

"How many badges do you have?" Nicole asked.

Tony's smile vanished. "Badges?"

"You know, Pokémon League Gym Badges," Nicole explained. "Those things you get when you beat a Gym Leader and need in order to compete in the…"

"I-I know what they are," Tony stuttered, "I just don't have any…"

Nicole stared. "You've been training for nine years and you haven't won a single badge?" she asked, surprised.

Tony nodded. "Well… yeah," he said. "I've never even gone past Viridian City asides from that time I went to the Pewter Museum with my Auntie and Uncle Brad."

"Why haven't you started travelling yet?" Nicole asked. "Most kids go on their Pokémon Journeys when they're only ten."

"Sheltered childhood," Tony answered simply.

"Oh…" Nicole nodded. "I see. Your mom is really overprotective of you, isn't she?"

Tony gaped. "W-what?!" he exclaimed, shocked. "M-my mom?!"

Nicole jumped back, startled. "Oh, I-I'm sorry," she cried, seeing that she had somehow upset Tony. "D-did I say something wrong…?" she asked.

"You mean the brunette in there, right?" Tony asked in a shaky voice, gesturing to his house.

"Yes, her," Nicole answered quietly, nodding.

"She's not my mother," Tony explained. "She's my Aunt Sally."

"Oh." Nicole paused and then gaped, the words "She's not my mother" finally registering. If Tony didn't live with his mother then that meant…

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Nicole exclaimed. _I can't believe I said that!_ she thought, slapping a hand to her face. _His mother must be…_

To her relief, Tony had calmed down and interrupted her thought. "It's fine, really," he said. "Anyone could make that mistake." Unfortunately, it was not really fine. Tony's mother was a sensitive subject in the Miller family, usually one that was forbidden to discuss. Poor Tony was starting to feel a little uncomfortable around Nicole. His rare desire to converse vanished and he wanted to get away, but he didn't want to offend Nicole. She hadn't meant to bring up a subject that touchy on purpose, after all. It was an accident.

Nicole, like Tony, wanted to get out of there. Not only had she (or she so believed) unintentionally insulted a boy who had saved her life and given her an apple out of the sheer goodness in his heart by reminding him of his (supposedly) deceased mother, but she was also standing outside dressed only in her pajamas, which didn't cover nearly as much skin as she would have liked. "T-thank you again for the apple," she said hastily. "It's been really nice talking with you, but I've got to…"

"Good morning!"

The upbeat voice of Professor Samuel Oak caught both trainers off-guard. The two had been so absorbed in their conversation with one another that they had completely missed the old man stepping outside his home and approaching them.

Nicole froze as Oak approached, sweat trickling down her brow. She wanted to run away, but her legs had suddenly turned to jelly. She had to grab onto the Miller's fence to keep herself from falling down, a startled squeak escaping her lips.

"Mr. Miller," Oak greeted, "and Miss… I'm sorry, but I don't believe I know your name," he told Nicole.

Nicole blinked, surprised. "Y-you don't?"

"No, I don't."

"Uh… It's Nicole, sir," Nicole said, scarcely able to believe what she had heard. Had Oak gone senile or was he feigning ignorance for her sake? She prayed it was the latter.

"G-good morning," Tony greeted.

"Yes it is, isn't it?" Oak looked to azure sky and the bright golden sun. "I wish I could spend it outside, but unfortunately I have an important meeting that I need to attend to today," he said. "Which is why I came to ask you a favor, Mr. Miller," he said, turning back to Tony. "Would you mind running an errand for me?" he asked.

"An errand?" Tony repeated.

"Yes," Oak said. "I have a package getting transported to the supermarket in Viridian City. The package contains something for a little project I've been working on, the final components for the device. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to pick it up today. So, I was wondering if you might enjoy a walk to Viridian City and collect my package for me. I'll pay you, if you'd like."

"No, that's fine," Tony replied slowly, shaking his head. "But why me?" he asked.

"Well, you seem like a capable and dependable lad!" Oak replied with a smile. "Besides," he added, "the contents of the package are very important. An associate in the Unova Region sent them to me for a project I've been working on. She's a very bright young lady, but she's also very impatient; she'll want me to her a progress report as soon as possible." He paused and then added, "And I'd really hate to have to pay the late fee."

_You don't seem to mind paying the neighbor boy to get it, though…_ Tony thought.

"Of course he'll get it for you, Professor!" By now, Aunt Sally was awake and had poked her head out from the kitchen window, still wearing her pink fluffy bathrobe. "Won't you, Tony?" she asked her nephew.

Tony nodded; he didn't really have any reason to refuse. "Sure," he agreed. "I'll get it for you."

"Thank you!" Oak said gratefully. "Oh, Blue!" he called.

Blue poked his head over the fence, having previously been preparing to train with Charmander in the Oaks' backyard. "Yeah, Gramps?"

"Tony said he'd go to the store with you," Oak replied with a smile. "Just tell whoever's at the counter your name and you'll get my parcel."

Tony gaped. "W-wha-!?"

"Have fun!" Oak said, walking off without giving Tony a chance to argue. Aunt Sally shut the window and returned to her work, leaving her nephew to face his old antagonist.

Blue cast a smile – or maybe a smirk – at Tony. "Heh. Guess we're partners now."

Tony groaned, rubbing his forehead. He somberly walked inside, a grim expression on his face.

Nicole sweat-dropped. _He wasn't lying,_ she thought, watching Tony shut the door behind him. _He really doesn't like him…_

"So…" Blue cast a wide grin at Nicole, its intent quite obvious. "You coming with us?"

"Is he alright?" Nicole asked, ignoring the question.

"Who, Tony?" Blue scoffed. "He's fine. He's always been a shy kind of guy."

"Huh…" Nicole muttered, not entirely convinced.

"You coming with us?" Blue asked. "Tony may be shy, but I know that _I_ don't mind the company."

Nicole rolled her eyes and walked off, Atlanta tagging along behind her.

Blue stared after her, his grin never fading. "So, is that a maybe?"

* * *

Needless to say, Tony was not looking forward to the errand. He wouldn't have minded doing it alone, but Blue was quite adamant on tagging along, much to the bug-catcher's chagrin, and Aunt Sally was quite adamant in making sure Tony went along as well.

"I know that you and Blue have a checkered past," she had said, "but I think you could use some friends."

"I have friends," Tony had replied.

"Human friends, Tony."

"I have you and Uncle and Pappy."

"Human friends _outside _the family, Tony. The Oaks are a very pleasant family. You really ought to try and make friends with Blue."

Tony hadn't tried to argue any further. Aunt Sally was adamant in making sure he made a human friend. After all, he couldn't go around talking to his Butterfree and Beedrill forever. She really was trying to look out for him.

Good intentions or not, they didn't improve Tony's mood. He changed into a pair of shorts and a yellow t-shirt, fed himself and his Pokémon, and bid farewell to his Auntie and Pappy.

He met up with Blue and Charmander, who were hanging out in front of the Miller household. Blue was smirking, as per usual, and Charmander was mimicking the grin perfectly. The Fire-type Pokémon looked much better considering the beating it had taken yesterday, as well as perkier and more confident. Nevertheless it kept clear from Lucky and Spear, casting a wary look at the both of them as Tony approached Blue.

"You ready?" Blue asked.

"As I'll ever be," Tony mumbled, walking past the redhead and towards Route 1, Lucky and Spear following him in silence.

Blue looked down at Charmander and shrugged. The Lizard Pokémon shrugged right back before following the two humans towards Route 1 and Viridian City.

As it turns out, Nicole did want to accompany the two. By the time they reached the very edge of Pallet Town the dark-skinned girl was already waiting for them, wearing the same uniform she had been wearing yesterday, with Atlanta at her side.

"Hi," Nicole greeted cheerily.

"Hi yourself," Blue replied. "I thought you might show up again." He seemed rather pleased with himself.

Nicole forced a smile. She certainly was not here for Blue. "Well," she lied, "I figured as long as we're all going in the same direction that we might as well travel together for a while. It's not I'm any hurry to get to Viridian and I could use the company."

"You have Atlanta," Tony pointed out.

"Well, we can't really have conversations," Nicole replied, sweat-dropping.

"Vapor!" Atlanta sniffed, mildly offended.

"Sure you can come," Blue replied. "Right Tony?"

Tony nodded; Blue seemed rather fond of Nicole (for better or for worse), so maybe he'd only pay attention to her. With any luck, he'd be able to get the errand over with and Blue would just chat with Nicole and ignore Tony.

It seemed like the perfect plan – well, as perfect a plan as he could come up with, given the circumstance. Unfortunately, it didn't work. It all fell apart the moment they stepped beyond the border of Pallet Town, onto the grassy Route 1.

Route 1 was a mile-long stretch of grass and flowers, with a primitive gravel road that connected Pallet Town to Viridian City running through it. It was one of Tony's favorite places to walk, even if it was pretty far from his house. The road itself was rarely traveled by vehicles; Viridian City was only about a mile away, and the folks of Pallet Town were a lively bunch who enjoyed their exercise. Jogging to and from Viridian City was an excellent way to start the day.

The trio of teens and their Pokémon companions walked along the gravelly path. Tony, Lucky, and Spear were at the front and remained mostly quiet, whereas Blue was his usual chatterbox self, going on and on to Nicole about something or another. Nicole was nodding politely, but she was clearly nervous – well, clearly nervous to anyone other than Blue, apparently. The girl had Atlanta in her arms and her eyes were locked on the unaware Charmander, warily gazing at the tiny flickering flame on the reptile's tail.

About five minutes passed and Tony was beginning to think that his plan had worked. They were almost at Viridian City and no one had said a word to him. He finally allowed himself to smile and enjoy the weather, pretending as though he and his Pokémon were alone. Now, this wasn't so…

"Excuse me," Nicole said, picking up the pace so that she was walking alongside Tony. "Could I ask you a question?"

Tony turned his head so that Nicole didn't see him scowl briefly. "Yeah, sure," he replied.

Nicole nodded. "Okay," she said. "Can you understand me?" she asked, switching her language from Kantonian to Unovan.

Tony nodded. "Yes, I can," he replied, also in Unovan.

Nicole nodded, surprised. "Wow," she said. "Sorry, it's just… I haven't met many people here who can speak Unovan. How come you can?"

"My, uh, my Aunt Sally made me take lessons when I was really young," Tony lied. "There's a lot of opportunities for bilingual people. Besides, if I ever go to Unova I'll be able to speak the language already."

"Wow." Nicole was clearly impressed. "So, uh…" She looked back to Blue, who was silently watching her and Tony speak, a clueless expression on his face. "Is he always like that?" she asked.

Tony smiled. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Blue demanded.

"Nothing, Blue," Tony called, switching back to Kantonian.

"You were talking about me, weren't you?"

"No, Blue."

Blue growled. "Tsk… Whatever…" he muttered, folding his arms.

Nicole giggled.

* * *

The jagged barbs stuck in its leg poured venom into its veins, jolts of pain burning through its aching body. It rasped as it stumbled forward, smoke pouring from its jaws as it inched away from its attackers.

"There it is! Stop it!" a voice cried.

Something cold and wet splashed against its back, resulting in a scream of pain and the hiss of water turning into steam. The beast threw its head back and screeched angrily, smoke and fire spouting from its maw.

"We've got it now! 431, throw the Pokéball!"

The beast's bloodshot eyes narrowed, the pupils narrowing into slits. It whirled around to faces its human attackers, eyeing the puny metal sphere that one of them had hurled at it.

The beast's mouth opened wide and a plume of red-hot flames leaped out, quickly reducing the foe's projectile to a pile of molten metal and circuitry lying uselessly on the dirt path.

"Hit it again!" one of its attackers ordered.

The beast whirled to face the stupid humans who had the _audacity_ to attack it. Steaming saliva dripped from its jaws as it glared at the imperious pests. "Mar…" it growled hatefully. All reason, all sense of self-preservation and fear, was long-gone now, replaced only by white-hot anger and a desire to see its tormentors burn to death.

The humans were either very desperate or very stupid; they kept coming at the monster, with Pokéballs and nets – honest to goodness _nets_ – in their hands, waving them around as if they were actual threats. One human tried to flank it, running behind the beast with its net held in front of him like a shield, tossing the flimsy meshed wire at the monster.

The net burst into flames and turned to a pile of incinerated ash the moment it landed on the beast. It was a useless gesture, to be sure, but that beast was so enraged that it didn't care. Snarling hatefully, it swung its blazing tail right into the chest of the surprised human. There was a loud cracking sound, a chorus of several shattered ribs, and the human was sent flying through the air. He smacked back-first into a tree, resulting with another crack, and fell to the grass in an unconscious heap.

That was all the incentive the rest of the humans needed. They weren't too smart, but they knew when enough was enough. They scattered, screaming like children as they plunged deeper into the forest.

The beast tried to chase after them, but the ugly wound in his leg, combined with the human's fear powering their flight, easily widened the distance between them. Like it or not, they were gone.

Normally, it wouldn't have cared. The humans were scared and they had fled. They wouldn't attack it again. But something boiled in its blood, an ugly, evil hatred it had never had the misfortune of feeling before. Blazing from head to toe like the Devil himself, the beast snarled and spat hatefully. It needed something to take out its anger on – something alive and moving.

It slowly turned and saw Viridian City. Hot drool pouring from its maw, it stepped forward and slowly limped to the town, each step leaving a smoldering footprint in its wake.

It didn't take them long to reach Viridian City. The journey was quick and relatively uneventful, Nicole switching between conversations with Tony and Blue at a whim, and their Pokémon following behind them, all enjoying the pleasant weather. The sky was clear, the air was cool, and the sun was warm. Life was good, and no one had anything to complain about.

The houses and buildings in the distance slowly got closer and closer as they traversed over hill and through tall grass. Before long, the road had changed from gravel to asphalt, and the teens set foot at last into Viridian City.

Pallet Town's younger yet larger sister city, Viridian City sat just a mile or so away from the smaller town. It was Pallet Town's connection to the "modern age," with larger businesses and more homes than its more rural neighbor. No house had less than two stories, and a multitude of stores, salons, banks, and restaurants thrived in a bustling economy.

Tony had been to Viridian City before. Aunt Sally would often take him grocery shopping when the Pallet Town open-air market didn't have an ingredient she needed for a particularly delicious dish; Viridian City had a wider variety of markets and grocers. It also had a Pokémon Center, a free doctor's office for Pokémon and a free motel for licensed Pokémon Trainers. Tony made a point to visit at least once a month to get his Pokémon checked up on by the resident Nurse Joy, a Pokéology specialist and medical genius who kept every trainer's team fighting fit.

Yes, Tony had been to Viridian City before – but he wasn't overly fond of it. Anti-social disorders and shyness die hard, after all, and Viridian City was, well, a city. A small city, yes, but still a city. Hundreds of people lived there and worked there, crowds of human beings of all ages bustling about the streets at all hours. For a boy who spent most of his time in a secluded rural town and spent very little time interacting with strangers it was very overwhelming. Still, there was always that little thrill he got out of it, seeing a strange place he rarely visited and exploring the city with Lucky and Spear.

"So this is Viridian City…" Nicole muttered, looking around at the tall buildings and houses. "Neat."

"This your first time in a city?" Blue asked with a grin. "Don't worry, Nicky, _I'll_ protect you."

Tony snorted, as did Atlanta. Even if Nicole did need protection, Blue and his low-level Charmander wouldn't be much help.

"Unova has cities, too," Nicole stated, politely ignoring Blue's promise. "It's just been a while since I've been to one."

They walked down the paved sidewalks, passing people, Pokémon, cars, and buildings. Houses rose off the ground and towered over them, with plain flat roofs covered with television antennas and satellites instead of the colored shingles and chimneys Tony was accustomed to in Pallet Town. The scent of flowers and clear air were replaced by odors of car fumes and frying food. The wind blew trash through the streets in silence rather than the rustling of leaves and swaying bamboo.

To get to the point, Viridian City was strange and bizarre to a country boy – and Tony wanted to see more of it. Unfortunately, they were only there for a short errand, and if he prolonged his visit he would prolong his time with Blue, a scenario he wanted to avoid.

"There it is!" Blue announced suddenly. "The Maruko Mart!"

Tony froze dead in his track, his eyes widened as he came to an absolute halt. Lucky and Spear froze, too, both of them plopping to the ground as their wings ceased buzzing.

It took Blue and Nicole a moment to realize that their companion was no longer following alongside them. They looked back to see Tony, frozen stock solid in the middle of the sidewalk, his face covered with a mortified expression. "Hey!" Blue shouted. "Tony! What's with the face?"

Tony didn't answer. He was too busy staring wordlessly at one of the things he hated more than anything in the whole world. More than socializing. More than Blue. More than anything at all.

His blank stare slowly turned into a glare. He looked at the ugly monolith before him hatefully, loathingly, despising it with every fiber of his being. He looked at it and he saw…

* * *

"_Mom, can we go to the park today?"_

"_No, Antonio."_

"_B-but you promised…"_

"_I said no!"_

"_B-but…"_

"_Shut up, you little brat!"_

"_S-sorry…"_

* * *

There was a snapping sound in front of his face. Tony blinked rapidly, returning to reality. Blue's hand was in front of his face, snapping its fingers in an attempt to get his attention.

"Tony!" Blue said, frowning. "Are you there?" He snapped his fingers again.

Tony pushed Blue's hand away. "I'm here," he said rather breathlessly.

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked, concerned. "You zoned out there for a second…"

"S-sorry," Tony said. "I just… N-never mind," he said, pretending to shrug it off. "So, uh, we're going to…" He closed his mouth for a moment to hide his clenched teeth. "Maruko Mart," he finally finished, spitting out the words.

"Uh… Yeah," Blue replied, sweat-dropping. "It's the only place in town with a teleportation machine."

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked again. "You look really pale…"

Tony shook his head. "I'm fine," he lied. "Really. H-hey, I've got an idea. I'll go grab us all some ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Tony, you don't have…"

"Sure, go ahead," Blue replied, his smirk returning at the promise of free ice cream. "I want two scoops of chocolate with sprinkles."

"Blue!" Nicole scolded.

"What do you want?" Tony hurriedly asked the girl.

"I…" Nicole sighed. "Just vanilla is fine," she finally said.

"Great, chocolate and vanilla!" Tony said with a fast nod. "I'll go get some. See you later!" Before anyone could say another word he was off like a shot, Lucky and Spear following after him.

"Is he alright?" asked Nicole.

Blue shrugged. "Like I said, he's pretty shy. Probably doesn't like crowded supermarkets." He turned around and continued towards his destination.

Nicole watched Tony vanish into the crowded Viridian streets. "If you say so…"

Tony moaned pitifully as he slumped up against the brick wall of the ice cream parlor, an absolutely miserable expression written on his face. After making sure he was alone, he swore unhappily, pounding his fists against the brick. Lucky and Spear winced; neither of them had ever heard Tony use profanities before.

The bug-catcher closed his eyes to clog up the tears that were threatening to spill. He angrily wiped the salty water that began to leak out, cursing his own pathetic weakness. _Look at me_… he thought unhappily. _Crying… Like a little brat…_

_"Shut up, you little bra__t!"_

"Freeh…" Lucky chirped worriedly, nudging her trainer's arm in an attempt to display some reassurance.

Tony groaned. "Not now, Lucky…" he muttered. "I'm not in the mood."

Lucky swallowed. "Freeh…" She chirped nervously. She had seen Tony like this before, back when…

_"__Get out of my way, worm!"_

The Butterfree shivered, shaking her head. "F-freeh…" she chattered, trying to suppress the memories.

"Bzz," Spear buzzed in a rare moment of understanding and empathy. He patted Tony's shoulder with the blunt side of his stinger. "Bzz."

"Blue's probably laughing his head off right now," Tony muttered. "Probably thinks I'm a big wuss. Nicole, too." His frown intensified. Nicole had seemed nice; it was a shame that she probably thought he was an antisocial freak right now.

"Freeh," Lucky chirped; her tone seemed to say, "At least you still have us."

Tony slowly nodded. "I guess I do," he muttered, reaching out and rubbing his friend's head. He took a deep breath and let it out. Yeah. Why should he worry? He still had Lucky and Spear. It's not like he cared what Blue thought of him; the guy was a jerk. And Nicole, nice though she may be, was a travelling trainer, destined to leave Pallet Town to continue on her way. Why make friends with them? They wouldn't be here long; not like Lucky and Spear would. They were always there for him. As long as he had them, he'd be fine.

He slowly smiled again. Yeah. Everything was fine. Just fine.

Somewhere in the distance he heard a woman screaming, followed by a man joining in, then a woman, then a child, and then a man again. Before a second had gone by a full chorus of panicked shrieks filled the air.

Tony blinked, surprised, turning his head to the end of the street. Men and women were running across the intersection, climbing over cars as they frantically fled from something horrible. Mothers and fathers with their children tucked in their arms scurried away from some unseen horror, their faces pale as ghosts and their mouths wailing like banshees.

"What the…?" Tony muttered.

Sweat began to drip down his brow. He mindlessly wiped it off before freezing, his eyes going all the wider. It was hot, but not hot enough to make him sweat like this. He finally noticed the heat – it was getting hotter and hotter with each slow second that passed him by, his heart beating a little faster with each risen degree.

It didn't take a genius to figure out something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Mar…"

A plume of red-hot fire splashed against the street of the intersection. Panicked drivers fled from their cars as a massive beast slowly stomped across the road, smoke and flames rising up from its glowing body.

It was a reptilian creature, bipedal and roughly human-sized, and with a long tail hanging from its back. Its body was covered in ruby and golden scales, glowing brightly in the intense heat the beast generated, shimmering like stars of death. Its forearms ended with a pair of clawed hands. The beast's tiny eyes, mounted on a round and bulgy-looking head, were filled with anger and pain. Its mouth was bill-shaped and spouting flames and smoke. "Mar!" it roared in a guttural voice over the crackling of flames.

Tony's skin went pure white. "M-Magmar…" he whispered, recognizing the infamous Fire-type.

Lucky gave a terrified squeak, hovering away from the enraged Fire-type Pokémon. A Ponyta was one thing but a Magmar was on a whole different level of danger. They had heard that rabid Magmar had been seen among the foreign Pokémon, but none of them had dreamed that they would have to actually fight one.

"Mar!" Magmar roared. It spread its arms and screamed angrily. There was a blinding explosion of red, yellow, and black. The abandoned cars in the intersection were swiftly consumed by the Lava Plume. Fuel caught and exploded with a terrifying "BANG!" The cars were sent flying into the air, propelled by the horrible explosions.

Tony's eyes widened as the flaming remains of a half-destroyed convertible plummeted down towards him and his Pokémon. Screaming unhappily, he and his bugs leaped to the side just in time to dodge the car. The convertible smashed against the pavement, showering the pavement with molten metal and ashes.

Tony groaned as the Magmar slowly marched off, looking for something else to destroy. The bug-catcher scowled and ran – towards the Fire-type. Lucky and Spear had little choice but to follow their trainer: they had work to do.

As he ran, Tony looked up to the heavens and cried, "Why does this always happen to me?!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Tony's socializing! What madness is this?! Then again, meeting a girl from another region is kind of neat, and it finally puts those Unovan lessons to good use! :D Hopefully, he's on the road to overcoming his shyness... but probably not. XD**

**Once again, point out any problems or mistakes with my spelling, grammar, etc. so I can fix them! Or just leave a review and tell me what you think of my story! Thanks!**

* * *

**Next time... Pallet Saga: Chapter 6: Long Live the Nidoqueen! **


	6. Long Live the Nidoqueen!

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 6: Long Live the Nidoqueen!**

* * *

If there was one thing Tony had learned from his years of battling Pokémon, it was that anger was a double-edged sword. When his Beedrill, Spear, got sufficiently angry he became a nearly unstoppable fighting-machine, showering his enemies with a storm of prods and pricks from his venomous stinger. At the same time, however, Tony had learned that rage was a potential weakness: enraged Pokémon, especially rabid Pokémon, were focused solely on destroying their enemy, ignoring everything else around them. They made sloppy mistakes, left obvious openings in their defenses, and flailed about wildly when they attacked.

An enraged Pokémon was easy to hit – but it wasn't easy to put down.

Tony knew this well enough. He knew that he was running into an incredibly dangerous situation, and with two Pokémon that had a disadvantage against the Magmar. He was a smart kid; he knew he was practically throwing his life away.

And yet, he kept on running. Despite his young age and petite proportions, the blond never faltered as he charged the horrific Fire-type. His Aunt Sally would assuredly have had a heart-attack if she had seen him do it.

Unfortunately, despite the threat presented, innocent civilians were still in the area. A few of them were running away, screaming and waving their arms wildly, but others were staring dumbly at monstrous Fire-type, their mouths flapping open and shut, their faces pale as sheets as they helplessly gawked at the aggressor.

They couldn't do anything to the Magmar. The Magmar knew this. Unfortunately for the humans, the Fire-type's vision was as red as its body at this point. Everything it looked at that wasn't a smoldering pile of soot was unintentionally mocking it.

It chose its first target: a terrified businessman who clutching his briefcase to his chest like some sort of shield. The man's soaked white face went all the whiter when Magmar opened its jaws and spewed a searing blast of fire at him. The man screamed as he hid behind his briefcase, shivering pathetically.

Fortunately for the businessman, Tony and his Pokémon were already in range to intercept. They shot into action. "Lucky!" Tony shouted. "Use Silver Wind to blow that fire away!"

"Freeh!" Lucky chirped, taking the lead of the group. She gave her wings a few powerful flaps, whipping up a powerful gale of shining wind, unleashing it just as Magmar fired off its own attack at the petrified man. The miniature tornado cut between the businessman and the Magmar. It absorbed the fireball, pulling the heat and flame into the eye and splashing it harmlessly against the side of a brick building.

The businessman and the Magmar blinked in unison, surprised. "W-wha-?" the man murmured, dumbfounded.

"Hey!" Tony shouted, getting the man's attention. "Get out of there! Move!"

The man nodded, still shaking like a leaf. "T-thank you!" he cried, running away from the Magmar.

"Mar…" Magmar slurred, steaming saliva pouring from its maw. As if to spite its attackers, it turned its rage to another pair of civilians, a mother and her child who had been on their way to the supermarket, both of whom were standing there, paralyzed in terror. "Mar!" Magmar snarled, slowly stomping towards the two. Its eyes caught sight of the charred husk of a car – its own handiwork – and saw an interesting choice for a weapon (just burning things to death got old eventually, even for a Fire-type). Magmar roared, seizing the molten convertible, lifted it up with its terrifying strength, and tossed it at the screaming mother and child.

Tony groaned as he and Spear shot into action, wondering if everyone in Viridian City was that stupid. "Spear, go! Get 'em out of there!"

"Bzz!" Spear buzzed, his wings flapping at amazing speeds. He vanished in a blur of yellow and black, appearing behind the two cowering humans, and wrapping his thin arms around the two as best he could, and yanking them back with incredibly strength for such a small creature. The car crashed harmlessly on the street, missing both humans and the Beedrill by ten feet.

Spear released the two cowering humans, who were shivering on the pavement. "Bzzt!" he buzzed, getting their attention.

The mother looked up at the Bug/Poison-type. Her skin went even paler. "Beedrill!" she shrieked, seizing her son by the hand and dashing off to safety, more afraid of her rescuer than the threat itself.

Spear stared after them. "Bzz…" _Little ingrates…_

"Mar!" Magmar roared, enraged that its victims were getting away, one after the other.

_Good,_ Tony thought, _we've got him mad. Now I just need to think of a way to get him out of Viridian City. If I can get him to Route 1, I can keep him from burning any buildings down… _"Hey!" he shouted, waving at the Magmar. Lucky and Spear flew to his side again, taking defensive positions. "Hey, you!" Tony cried. "C'mere!"

The Magmar roared and sluggishly stomped towards Tony. "Mar!"

Tony stepped back cautiously, staring quizzically at the slow-moving Fire-type. _What's wrong with him? _the blond thought curiously. _Aren't Magmar supposed to be fast and deadly killers?_

His blue eyes trailed down to the sluggish reptile's legs. His eyes widened as he noticed something he hadn't noticed because of the heat of the moment (no pun intended). On Magmar's right leg there was an ugly, pus-filled, enflamed wound, almost five inches in diameter. It was a swelled and ugly mark that Tony realized was very similar to the effects of a Poison Sting attack, a technique used by Beedrill like Spear to frighten or kill Pokémon who intruded on their territory. Being something of a fledgling Pokémon expert, Tony quickly realized that the Magmar had been stung or bitten by something. The wound was poisoned and likely already infected.

_So,_ Tony thought, _that's why he's been moving so slow. It must be why he's so angry, too._ He winced, almost feeling sorry for the Fire-type. Well, at least we have a weak spot to exploit if he couldn't take it down the more humane way. "Lucky, Spear!" he shouted. "We need to take that Magmar out, fast! Sleep Powder, Lucky!"

"Freeh!" Lucky chirped, flying up into the air and dive-bombing the enraged Fire-type, greenish dust drifting from her wings and down onto her target.

"Mar!" Magmar roared, spouting poisonous smog and fire at Lucky as she flew overhead. The terrified Butterfree squeaked unhappily as she swerved to the side to avoid the attack, the fire and fumes missing her completely.

"Mar!" Magmar screeched, spittle and slime flying from its maw. Fire exploded from its body, covering it entirely and incinerating the sleeping dust particles, rendering Lucky's assault useless.

Tony cursed, snapping his fingers. "Darn it all!"

Magmar roared hatefully, raising its claws and swishing its tail. In its rage, it sent a fireball sailing into a thankfully abandoned Laundromat store. Something in the back (probably a gas heater) ignited and exploded. The building popped like a balloon, bricks, mortar, shrapnel, and half-melted laundry machines and dryers flew into the air, crashing and shattering on the asphalt Viridian streets.

Something sharp and blisteringly hot slashed across Tony's elbow, likely a piece of half-molten shrapnel. The bug-catcher clutched his arm, hot blood soaking through his shirt and soaking his hands with redness.

"F-freeh!" Lucky cried, horrified by her trainer's wound.

"I… I'm fine," Tony lied through gritted teeth. "It's just a scratch!"

"Mar!" Magmar roared, more and more fire exploding from its body.

Tony winced. They had to get Magmar out of town before it caused any more damage than it already had. It was mad, that was plain to see, but Tony had to get it mad with himself and his Pokémon, rather than mad at everything in Viridian City.

He had a plan. It was a very risky one that would put himself and his friends in danger, yes, but Tony knew that it was the best course of action at the moment. Besides, he always had to play the hero. He couldn't help it.

"Spear," he said to the Beedrill, "I want you to use Poison Sting on his right knee."

Spear nodded, raising his stingers. "Bzz!" he buzzed.

"Lucky…" Tony turned his attention to his Butterfree. "Get ready to fly as fast as you can, okay? We need to lead him out of here – fast."

The two Bug-types swallowed their fears and nodded in unison, ready for whatever it was their trainer was planning.

Tony's eyes flashed. "Go!" he ordered.

Spear was off like a shot, his wings buzzing rapidly as he darted through the air, his stingers raised and at the ready, his scarlet eyes locked onto his target.

Magmar growled, smoke pouring from its maw as it glowered at the charging Bug-type. Surely this insect was suicidal? It couldn't possibly think that it actually had a chance. The Fire-type Pokémon opened his maw and belched a fireball at Spear, deciding to finish him quickly so that it could find something tougher to tear into pieces.

Unfortunately for Magmar, but very much fortunately for everyone else in Viridian, Spear saw the attack coming and shot to the side, the fire harmlessly splashing against the road and missing the Beedrill. The Bug/Poison-type bravely buzzed up to the surprised Fire-type, stingers at the ready.

Tony's eyes flashed, seeing the opening. "Now!" he screamed.

"Bzz!" Spear buzzed. He ducked underneath a wild punch from his target and landed on the pavement. In a split second the Bug/Poison-type steadied himself, took aim, and attacked. He raised his right stinger, sharp and shining, and plunged it into Magmar's wound.

The most horrible noise Tony and his bugs had ever heard shrieked through the air, forcing them to cover their ears if they could. It was a high-pitched bellow of agony and hatred, brought about only the most intense of pains. The few windows that were still intact shattered into crystalline shards, destroyed by the horrific squeal.

Spear winced but held his ground. His poisoned barb was still buried in Magmar's festering wound. Blood and pus began to leak out from the swelled lump, accompanied by a sickly lavender-colored poison, flowing from Spear's stinger.

Magmar's eyes were bright red. It slobbered and bellowed and screamed, flailing its arms about, its body radiating a horrible power, every fiber of its being crying out in pain and misery. Shaking all over in rage and pain, it looked down and glowered at the unsympathetic Spear, who flashed him a grin (in a way that Bug-types do).

The Bug/Poison-type leaped back just in time to avoid Magmar's flaming fist, which smashed into the ground, melting pavement and scattering gravel. Magmar whipped its head to see Spear buzzing away back to Tony and Lucky. The trainer and his bugs quickly shot the Fire-type a few rude gestures and faces. "Come and get us!" Tony shouted.

Magmar roared, flames exploding from its body. It began to limp towards Tony, sparks and smoke pouring from its panting, slobbering jaws. The blood and pus dripping down its leg vanished into a foul-smelling steam. Each step was painful, but that pain was nothing compared to what it intended to do to Tony and his Pokémon.

Tony frowned grimly and turned tail. "Come on," he told his Bug-types. "We need to get him out of town!"

Both of his Pokémon nodded in unison, following him loyally as the enraged Magmar chased after them with murderous intent.

* * *

The package was small and lightweight, wrapped in brown paper and marked fragile with large red letters. It was only about the size of an envelope and would have easily fit into his pocket. Nevertheless, Blue handled the tiny parcel with utmost care; he knew what was inside was incredibly important to his grandfather, and he knew that if it was damaged, even slightly, he would never hear the end of it from both Gramps and Daisy.

As such, the redhead accepted the tiny brown box with dainty hands. He gave the woman at the teleportation machine counter a small tip for her troubles. Teleportation machines were large, clunky devices that were common throughout the world. They were a wonder of convenience, allowing people to transport materials from thousands of miles away in a matter of seconds.

Unfortunately, the machine had many drawbacks. For starters, the machine was anything but compact; at least a thirty-by-thirty foot room was the minimum amount of space needed to keep the entirety of the machine inside. Constant maintenance was also a must; any complications with the machine's internal artifice could result in a massive malfunction and thousands of dollars of repair work. Of course, there was also the issues that couldn't be fixed; some living organic material, namely human beings, could not be transported safely. One of the scientists who had developed the system made the unfortunate mistake of testing it on himself; it took the poor guy months before he could even recite the alphabet correctly. Oddly enough, it seemed to work fine on Pokémon (naturally, seeing as how it converted solid matter into energy, in a fashion similar to Pokéball technology); humans just weren't cut out to be teleported around by machines.

In short, teleportation machines were big, clunky, and expensive – but man, did they pull in the money. It's only natural that a company as massive as Maruko Corp. would have taken advantage of the groundbreaking machine, offering its services to the public for a price.

That wasn't the only thing Maruko Marts served to the public. Food from places all over the world, even as far as Unova and Kalos, sat on well-stocked shelves. All of the utilities of home life, including light-bulbs, batteries, Pokémon repellent, clothing, and small appliances could be found there as well, and of course there was a large section dedicated to servicing the needs of Pokémon trainers, selling Pokéballs, medicine, and the like. Needless to say, it was a massive conglomerate and a necessity in the lives of so many.

So why, then, had Tony frozen up like that upon the realization that Maruko Mart was their destination? That's what Nicole wanted to know.

Unfortunately for her, the only one she felt comfortable asking about it was Blue.

She chose her words carefully. "Hey, Blue?"

Blue, who was walking alongside her down one of the many aisles of Maruko Mart and had just been saying that they needed to meet up with Tony for that ice cream he had promised them, said, "Yeah, what?" His tone was as jovial as before, showing no irritation about being interrupted.

"Do you know why Tony got so… well, scared when we came here? I mean, he looked fine when we left…"

Blue's smile vanished. He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so interested?" he asked.

"Well, he is sort of my friend, in a way…" Nicole replied, unsure if she could really call someone she had just met yesterday a friend. "I mean, I'm pretty much morally obligated to care about what happens to him. He did save my life just yesterday after all."

Blue snorted, rubbing his nose. "You know, I helped, too," he muttered under his breath.

"He really didn't look too happy," Nicole went on, ignoring Blue's qualms. "He's kind of weird…"

"Like I said, he's always been like that," Blue stated casually. "He hasn't changed at all since kindergarten."

"What do you mean?" Nicole asked.

"Well, he's shy," Blue replied, as if "shy" was the best word to describe Tony's antisocial disorder. "He never really played much with me."

Now it was Nicole's turn to raise an eyebrow. "He mentioned this morning that you used to pick on him," she said, her tone a little colder.

Blue groaned, slapping his forehead. "Did he mention a Frisbee? Is he still hung up on that?!"

"He didn't really specify," Nicole replied. "He just said you bullied him."

"Well…" Blue turned a little red. "I never hit him or beat him or anything like that… It was just me being a stupid kid, that's all." He paused and then asked, "Is it true about what they say about girls liking bad boys?"

"Not for me, it isn't," Nicole retorted with a glare.

Blue chuckled sheepishly. "Right. Anyways, Tony was just always kind of a shy kid. He never played much with any of the kids. It's not like he never got asked. The teachers always tried to get him to play with the others, but he just wanted to be by himself most of the time."

"Most of the time?"

"Well, yeah, most of the time. He never played with the other kids, but he sure did love the class pets," Blue replied. "The classroom had a Ratatta and a Magikarp in some tanks. We'd all take turns feeding them but Tony always wanted to hang around them. He always looked really happy just to be able to spend time with them. A while later, he got himself a Caterpie, though I think it's a Butterfree now. If so, he stills has it."

"Oh. So he really likes Pokémon?" Nicole guessed.

Blue nodded. "More than he likes people, anyways. Yesterday was the first time I've seen him in nine years. He probably didn't come with us because he thought it'd be too crowded in here. He hasn't changed much." He chuckled. "He even still looks like a little kid."

_By the way you and he made you out to be back then, you haven't changed much either,_ Nicole thought drily, shaking her head.

Suddenly, Blue froze. They were not ten feet away from the sliding glass doors of Maruko Mart, close enough to see what was going on outside. The redheaded trainer's jaw dropped. "W-what the heck?!" he shouted, his voice turning harsh.

Nicole nearly leaped out of her skin. "W-what…?"

"Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!" a voice roared. The glass doors shook violently under the force of the snarl.

Nicole gaped. "W-what was that!?" she exclaimed.

Outside of the Maruko Mart, a lone human boy was running down the street, followed by a Butterfree and a Beedrill, a frantic, exhausted expression on his face. Blue and Nicole gaped; it was Tony!

"Maaaar!" The limping form of Magmar appeared, fire and smoke pouring from its gasping jaws as it stumbled slowly after Tony, occasionally releasing a blast of fire at the fleeing human and his bugs. Each time, however, Tony dodged. He'd then stop, turn to face Magmar, and throw an insult of some sort at the Fire-type before fleeing again, his pursuers rage growing and egging it to continue the chase.

Nicole's pupils shrunk. Magmar? Magmar?! Fire-type! Fire!

"What is that idiot doing!?" Blue exclaimed, his eyes wide. "He's gonna get himself killed!"

Other shoppers and customers were naturally gathering around the front of the store, staring outside with wide eyes and gaping jaws as the blond boy and his bugs fearlessly led the enraged beast through town, frantically dodging the Magmar's attacks whenever the Fire-type belched fire at him. Gossipy murmurs slowly began to sing from pale lips.

"T-that's… that's a Magmar!" one woman cried.

One man swore loudly. "Look at that thing…"

"What on earth is that boy doing?!" an old man exclaimed, his ancient eyes finally able to register what Tony was doing. "W-what did he do to make that thing so angry?"

Another woman angrily shouted, "He must have tried to catch it and failed! Now it's going to destroy the town to get to him!"

A retort began to form on Blue's lips; he and Tony weren't exactly friends, but he knew that Tony would never do something like that. That was something that Blue himself would probably do, really.

Before he could say a word, however, a raven-haired woman declared, "That young man would never do such a thing!"

All eyes locked on the pretty woman. "How do you know?" the woman who had accused Tony demanded; like most people, she hated to be corrected.

"That young man is Tony Miller," the woman explained confidently. "He's been keeping Pallet Town safe, single-handedly, for months now from rabid Pokémon. Just the other day he saved my own daughter from a Victreebel!"

Slow nods from Pallet Town natives were her response. "That's right…" another housewife said, snapping her fingers. "He scared off those Diglett who were tearing apart my garden!"

"I remember that!" an elderly woman agreed. "He's Sally's nephew. Such a sweet young man…"

"He shooed all of those Rattata out of my fields and led them to his family's own apple tree. He feeds all of those poor Pokémon by hand, out of the kindness of his own heart!" a tanned farmer reminisced.

Blue blinked, surprised. He couldn't believe that Tony actually did all of that. That was… helping people. Saving people. To help or save people, you needed to _interact_ with people. Given Tony's shyness, it seemed bizarre to think that so many people were singing his praises about his great deeds of heroism. Tony had never seemed to be the heroic sort.

"So what's he doing now, then?" the skeptical woman from before asked.

"Look!" The tan farmer pointed out the window. Tony was running off, his skin pale as a ghost, clutching his bleeding arm. The Magmar slowly followed him and his bugs as he ran faster and faster, stopping only to give the Fire-type time to catch up.

Blue's eyes widened as he realized what his rival was doing. "He's leading it away…" he muttered aloud.

All eyes turned to him, variations of "What do you mean?" answering his spoken thought.

Blue, unlike Tony, didn't have any problem speaking to crowds. So, he explained: "Well, look at him! He's running towards Route 1, he's letting that Magmar catch up with whenever he gets too far ahead… He's trying to lead it away from Viridian so it can't hurt anyone or destroy any buildings.

"Oh…" Everyone in Blue's audience nodded in unison, understanding at last.

"But…" the old Pallet woman muttered. "Aren't Bug-types weak to fire?"

Dozens of concerned eyes looked back to the window, watching silently as Tony, his bugs, and Magmar vanished from their vision.

After a moment of horrid silence, the farmer spoke up. "Well… It's not like any of could help the kid… I mean, I'm not a Pokémon Trainer…"

That was a bold-faced lie and Blue knew it. Farmers in Kanto always had some Pokémon to work on their farms, usually Machoke. The jerk just didn't want to risk his own life for the boy he had proclaimed a hero moments before.

The others all voiced similar excuses, all of them claiming that none of them were trainers. Whether or not that was true, Blue didn't know, nor did he care. There was a Pokémon Trainer present – two in fact!

"Alright, alright, alright!" Blue raised his hands, interrupting the panicked muttering of the townsfolk. "You folks don't have to worry." He flashed his trademark cocky grin. "I'm Blue Oak – and I'm a Pokémon Trainer!"

There was a brief silence as the townsfolk stared at Blue, none of them making a sound.

Finally, one woman spoke up. "Blue… Oak?" She snapped her fingers. "I remember you! You're that little brat who used to scratch up the paint on my fence with a stick on your way to school!"

Blue's smile vanished. "Uh…"

"Yeah, I remember you, too…" the tanned farmer said. "You used to use my rice patty as your personal swimming pool! Who on earth was crazy enough to give you of all people a Pokémon?!"

"You sprayed graffiti on my-!" another began.

Blue raised his hands again. "Okay, okay, fine! I get it! Yeesh…" He rolled his eyes, feeling frustrated. "I guess you're right. Maybe a vandal like me shouldn't be a Pokémon Trainer…"

The first woman nodded, still angry about her fence. "Exactly. Do you have any idea how hard it is to spackle cracks like that? It took me three days before it looked presentable, and my mother-in-law was coming over that weekend…"

"I get it!" Blue interrupted. He rubbed his head, which was beginning to ache. "As I was saying…" he cast a bitter look at the first woman "maybe I shouldn't train Pokémon. Maybe I shouldn't go and help Tony. So," he asked, looking very seriously at his accusers, "if I can't help Tony out, which one of you will?"

He got exactly the answered he suspected he would: awkward silence and flapping jaws.

Blue smirked. "Thought so," he said triumphantly. "In the end, it's up to the 'little vandal' to fix things around here. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He cracked his knuckles and pulled Charmander's Pokéball from his belt. "The _real heroes_ have work to do." He made sure to emphasize the words "real heroes," just to remind the townsfolk who was who in this situation. "Nicole, let's… Nicole?"

The Unovan girl was no longer at his side. Blue looked around, confused. Where had she gone?

There was a clattering sound as a can of pineapples toppled off of a shaking shelf, rolling across the floor. Blue looked up to the top of the shelf to see Nicole was curled up on the top and shivering like a drenched Meowth. Her eyes were wide and her normally dark skin was much paler than it should have been. The entire metal shelf shook with her shivers, the cans and boxes displayed on it dancing with every miserable shudder.

Blue raised an eyebrow. How had she gotten up there without anyone noticing? "Uh, what are you doing?" he asked.

"F-f-f-fire…" Nicole stuttered.

Blue sweat-dropped. "Well, Magmar is a Fire-type," he drily pointed out.

One of the shoppers made a rude comment under her breath. "Are all foreigners like that?" she muttered.

Whether or not Nicole heard the comment, she didn't care. She wasn't coming down. Blue had never seen someone with such an intense pyrophobia.

He blinked, realization gleaming in his eyes as they opened again. "Wait a second!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the terrified Unovan. "You didn't have any problem when I had Charmander out on the way here!"

"He has a little bitty flame though…" Nicole replied shakily. "And I kept far away from it. And h-he wasn't trying to burn me… that Magmar would…"

"Don't be such a coward!" the tanned farmer spat.

"Oh, you're one to talk!" Blue retorted. The farmer shrank back and turned red, realizing that he was in no position to accuse anyone of cowardice. Turning his attention back to Nicole, Blue said, "Okay, fine. You can stay up there. Give me your Vaporeon."

Nicole blinked. "W-wha…?"

Blue gave an impatient sigh. "Your Vaporeon! You don't expect me to fight against a Magmar with a Charmander, do you?"

"Oh… Right…" With a shaking hand, Nicole unclipped Atlanta's Pokéball from her waist and handed it to the redhead. "H-here. J-just be sure to bring her back when you're done…"

Blue snatched the ball away and shot her a reassuring grin. "Right," he said. And with that he charged out of the door, rushing past the dumbfounded shoppers. He leaped through the door, his sneakers slamming loudly against the pavement of the streets.

* * *

The wheels of the sports car shrieked and screeched as the surprised driver slammed his foot on the brake, the shining black vehicle sliding along the pavement, bucking forward before slamming down as it came to a forced stop.

The driver's wide eyes went all the wider as he gaped at the horrific scene taking place in the intersection. An enraged Magmar was chasing a young blond boy, a Butterfree, and a Beedrill. The Fire-type was roaring and snarling, foaming at the mouth with each labored step it took, breathing fire and smoke at the boy.

The driver stared, intrigue, suspicion, and confusion replacing his awe and horror. How did that Magmar get into Viridian City? Where were the police? Why was it chasing that poor boy?

The beast, the bugs, and the boy vanished as they ran past the intersection, buildings obstructing the driver's view. A few seconds later, another boy, this one a redhead, ran through the intersection as well, chasing after the bizarre parade. He, too, disappeared from the driver's view.

The driver slowly stroked his chin. _Well,_ he thought. _That's not something you see every day…_

He removed his foot from the brake and hit the gas. The sleek black car tore past the intersection and drove towards the entrance of Viridian City – where the boy was leading the Magmar.

* * *

An angry Pokémon was a dangerous Pokémon. An enraged Pokémon was even more deadly. One that was enraged and hurt, though? That was the deadliest.

Getting Magmar angry had been a very risky plan, but it was also the only plan that Tony had felt would work, and as the paved road turned to gravel once more, he knew it would soon be time to put that plan to the test.

Fortunately for Tony, he had played this one smart: Magmar was now out of Viridian City, meaning that there would hopefully be no humans to get in the way and protect, as well as reducing the amount of property damage that the beast could cause. Another bonus was that Magmar was hurt already, as well as exhausted; the chase that Tony had led him on had been a long and hard one, especially for a creature with a badly injured leg. Smoke and ash was fuming from the Fire-type's slobbering jaws, a clear signal of total exhaustion.

Still, the threat was far from over. Now came the actual challenge of bringing Magmar down.

Tony came to a sudden halt, surprising the all of the Pokémon. His boots dug into the gravel road, forcing him to a stop. The blond then turned bravely to Magmar; the horrible beast was only ten yards away, easily within fire-breathing range.

The Magmar stared in silence at the bow, still slobbering wildly and panting heavily. Tony's bugs put themselves in front of their trainer, compound eyes narrowed and ready for any move the larger Pokémon could make.

Tony steadied himself, closing his eyes before taking a deep breath and letting it out. He opened his eyes again, the icy blue orbs glaring at the surprised Magmar. "Come on, hothead!" he shouted. "That's right! I'm not going to run anymore!" He raised his hand and gestured to himself. "Come on! Come and get me!"

Whether or not Magmar understood Kantonian, Tony didn't know; it sure didn't seem like a tamed Pokémon. Regardless, a savage grin split its drooling maw as it realized its foe wasn't going to flee any longer. "Mar…" it slurred, stepping forward, hissing smoke from its nostrils.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to both Tony and the Pokémon, Blue had arrived at the scene of the battle. The redhead wasn't as used to long hikes as Tony was, so he was in a worse state than his blond rival, breathing heavily and clutching his chest, his heart pumping so loudly he thought it might burst. "T-T-T-Tony…" he wheezed, his voice a faint whisper that Tony wouldn't have heard even if he had been paying attention to anything other than the battle. "W-w-wait for me…" he gasped, pulling Atlanta's Pokéball from his belt. "I'll save ya…"

Suddenly, a large hand came down onto Blue's shoulder, seizing him with an iron grip. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you," a deep, masculine voice warned.

If Blue had had the energy to do so, he would have leaped out of his skin. He tilted his head to see just who had stilled his hand. "W-what?" he asked, surprised. "Who…?"

The man was tall and muscular, clad in a black business suit of some sort. He was easily two feet taller than Blue, even with the latter's ridiculously pointy red hair. The man's skin was slightly tanned and his hair was dark brown, neatly groomed and combed.

Blue narrowed his eyes at the man. He had seen enough rich people in his time to recognize one in an instant. "What do you mean?" he asked after another moment of panting. "He needs help!"

The man's dark eyes were locked not upon Blue but upon Tony. "No," he said firmly, his grip tightening on poor Blue's shoulder. "Don't interfere. This is his fight."

"It'll be his _funeral_ if I don't help!" Blue snapped, tugging roughly against the man's grip. "Let go!" He shouted futilely

The man's grip remained firm, however, and his eyes remained on Tony, his bugs, and Magmar, eying them with an intrigued expression.

Magmar made the first move, its rage outweighing its exhaustion. Placing its tail on the ground, the beast burst into fresh flames and spun about, its tail kicking up a wave of hot gravel that showered upon the Bug-types and their trainer. Lucky and Spear chirped and cried in pain as they shielded their faces from the improvised attack, and Tony gritted his teeth as he felt a chunk of hot stone slice through his jeans and slash his right leg.

"Mar!" Magmar slurred, charging at its distracted opponents with fists raised. It leaped as best it could at Lucky first, its blazing hands raised and poisoned to snuff out the smaller Pokémon's life.

Tony, thankfully, saw it coming and gave an order to counter it the moment the beast began its charge. "Lucky, fly up!" he ordered.

"Freeh!" Lucky chirped, shooting up into the air just as Magmar leaped at her. The large red reptile smashed into the ground face-first, missing the Butterfree completely, snarling as hard gravel dug into its hide and aggravated its wound even more.

"Now, Confusion!" Tony shouted, clenching his fist.

"Freeh!" Lucky's eyes glowed with psychokinetic power as she unleashed a wave of mental energy at her opponent. The attack struck Magmar's already dulled mind, sending the reptile into a frenzy of hisses, spits, and roars as it clutched its aching skull.

"Now, Sleep Powder!" Tony ordered. "Take it down!"

Lucky growled as she flapped her wings, dust and scales scattering from her body and showering Magmar.

Magmar's eyes went droopy for a moment. It gave a snorting sound, shook its head, and roared again, fire exploding from its red form, incinerating the dust once more. "Mar!" the Fire-type roared, breathing a plume of fire and poisonous smog at Lucky, forcing the Butterfree to withdraw away from the beast.

Tony growled, snapping his fingers. "Darn it all!" he shouted, sweat dripping down his brow. "Why won't you go down?!"

"Mar!" Magmar roared, rising off of the ground and stumbling towards Tony again.

Tony sighed and shook his head. "Lucky," he said to his Butterfree. "It's time to pull out all of the stops. Ready?"

"Freeh!" Lucky agreed.

"Spear," Tony said, turning his attention to his Beedrill, "I need you on standby, okay? Get ready to back Lucky up if she has trouble!"

"Bzzt!" Spear raised his stinger in salute to his trainer with a nod.

Tony returned his vision to Magmar. The Fire-type was getting closer with every slumping step it took, its eyes glowing with hatred and rage. "Ready?" he asked Lucky.

"Freeh!" Lucky chirped.

"Good!" Tony pointed to Magmar. "Now! Silver Wind!" Then, he and Spear swiftly stepped backward several feet, both knowing just what Lucky was going to do.

Lucky flew up into the air and straightened her wings, positioning herself across from Magmar and locking her red eyes onto the blazing creature. The Fire-type stared back at her in silence, confusion and irritation evident in its expression. It steadied itself, balancing on its good leg, and waited for its smaller opponent to make her move.

Behind the fiery beast, the man, still gripping Blue's shoulder, raised an eyebrow with interest. "What are you planning?" he whispered.

"Do it!" Tony shouted once he was sure he was a safe distance away from Lucky's attack.

Lucky beat her wings once. A powerful gust of wind rushed across the rocky road, gravel and dirt trembling under the force. She beat her wings twice. A stronger gale rocked the earth, the grass quivering underneath its power, chunks of pebbles and sand slowly rising off the ground before falling back to the ground.

The Magmar looked down to the ground and then back to the Butterfree, smoke pouring from its open jaws. "Mar…" it slurred.

With an angry squeal, Lucky beat her wings a third time, then a forth, then a fifth, and then a sixth, again and again and again until the white kites were blurs of impossible motion.

Blue gaped. "What is…?"

Silvery winds began to whirl in the air, scales from Lucky's wings shimmering in the sunlight. A whistling gust suddenly turned into a roaring gale.

Magmar gritted its fangs. "Mar?!" it growled.

The tornado, fully formed by the powerful beats of Lucky's wings, surrounded the Fire-type completely, imprisoning the beast in a cage of wind. The twister was silver and gleaming with Lucky's scales, and easily powerful enough to lift a grown man off of his feet. Magmar had to grab at the earth with its claws and hold on tightly in order to keep its footing, roaring and snarling all the while.

That wasn't the end of it, however. The winds easily tore gravel, dirt, and sand from the road, pulling it up into the wind. The tornado slowly turned dark with dust. Inside the eye, Magmar began shrieking in pain as razor-sharp gravel chunks tore open its skin and stung its eyes.

"Keep it up, Lucky!" Tony shouted. "We've got 'im"!

"F-freeh!" Lucky gasped, forcing her rapidly weakening wings to flap all the harder.

The tall man gave an impressed nod at the attack. "Clever," he said in a low voice just loud enough that Blue could here. "Very clever."

"Huh…" Blue muttered. "Okay, maybe he can handle this one without me…"

"Lucky!" Tony shouted over the roaring gale. "That's enough! Stop!"

Lucky's wings slowed down and the winds grew weaker and weaker until they came to a stop. Lucky gave a tired moan and plummeted down to the earth, landing in the welcoming arms of her trainer.

"Gotcha!" Tony exclaimed as he grabbed his Butterfree from the air.

"F-freeh," Lucky yawned, feeling exhausted. She had used the Silver Wind technique before, but she had never used it that hard and for that long before.

"Good girl," Tony congratulated, patting her furry head. "Thanks."

"Bzzt," Spear begrudgingly agreed.

Tony then turned his attention to the result of his attack. The dust and sand kicked into the air by Lucky's wings slowly cleared away, revealing a large pile of motionless gravel in the center of the road. Slowly, silently, Tony took a step towards the pile, Spear at his side. The blond slowly reached down to the ground and picked up a large pebble. He took aim at the pile (an easy target to hit, for sure) cocked his arm back, and threw the stone. It sailed through the air and struck the top of the pile, resulting in a tremble as small stones slowly avalanched down the miniature mountain. In the pile, Tony could faintly see a patch of scaly and bloody red skin.

He let out a sigh of relief. His plan to use the gravel in the Silver Wind, one of a few strategies he had conjured up to deal with Fire-types like Magmar, had worked out better than he had hoped: Magmar was down and buried underneath a pile of tiny rubble that had been kicked up by the storm. After all the destruction the Fire-type had caused, it was finally down and out. He had done it – he had saved Viridian City.

He gave a dry chuckle. If it wasn't Pallet Town, it was Viridian. Seems the world couldn't resist putting Tony Miller into a dangerous situation as often as possible.

It took him a moment to finally register Blue's voice, shouting at him from a short distance away. Surprise crossed his features and he turned to face the overly excited redhead and… some tall man he had never seen before approaching him.

"Dude! Man!" Blue was exclaiming. "That was actually pretty cool! I mean, hey! You might actually have some talent!"

Tony frowned and rolled his eyes in response.

The gravel pile shuddered.

The tall man gave a smile as he approached the much shorter male. "Yes, I must agree with young Mr. Oak, here," he said. "You do have some talent. Quite impressive."

"Uh, thanks…" Tony muttered, unsure of what to say. Who was this guy?

Blue didn't seem to know either, and suspicion flared in his green eyes. "Wait a second," he said, turning to the man. "How the heck do you know my name?! I never told it to you!"

"I know," the man replied evenly. "You see, we've never met personally, but your grandfather, Samuel Oak, has shown me many pictures of you. Besides that, I saw you on the news, once."

Blue grinned, his ego inflating. "You did?" he asked.

The man nodded, grinning. "Indeed. It's not every day that someone blows a hole in the auditorium of Pokémon Tech and gets expelled."

Tony and Spear couldn't help it; they had to snicker, just a little.

Blue's ego deflated and his glare returned. "I… I didn't get expelled! I quit!" he retorted, his argument sounding weak even to him.

The gravel pile trembled again. A clawed hand slowly protruded from in between the pebbles.

"Returning to the matter at hand, young man," the man said, returning his gaze to Tony, "it's rare to see someone of your age with such a level of skill in the field of Pokémon Training. Tell me, what is your name?"

Tony froze, his face turning pale. "Uh…" he stuttered, socially awkward-mode activating. "It's, uh, Tony, sir."

"Just Tony?" the man asked.

"T-Tony Miller," Tony stuttered.

"Charmed," the man said, stepping towards him. "Well, Tony Miller, please do me a favor and get down – _now!_"

The sudden shout nearly made Tony and Blue both leap out of their skins. Tony stumbled back, unsure as to what was happening until he heard the gravel pile beside him stir wildly, smoke and sparks suddenly flying up from the rocks like a miniature volcano.

The pile exploded into an inferno, rocks and sand flying left and right. Tony fell down to his back, Lucky tumbling from his hands and Spear taking a nasty chunk of stone to his abdomen. Both Pokémon hit the ground, badly dazed by the attack.

Magmar rose from the crater, looking uglier than ever. One eye was swollen and bleeding, a chunk of gravel still stuck in-between its eyelids. Blood was pouring from its maw, evaporating into rancid steam. Ugly scars and scratches marred its body, yellow and red scales torn and ruined.

The Fire-type roared, all of its pain forgotten for a single moment as it raised its arms, its clawed fists bursting into flames. It towered over the much smaller Tony, who stared up at it in horror, both of his Pokémon stunned by the attack. He was defenseless.

The day Aunt Sally had so dreaded had finally come.

"Mar!" Magmar roared, slamming its fists down.

"Tony!" Blue screamed. "No!"

The tall man swiftly reached into his jacket.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion in Tony's eyes. He stared up at the horrible Pokémon in silence as its arms slowly descended towards his paralyzed body. He knew, from Pokémon documentaries he had seen, just how powerful a Magmar was, and just how hot that fire could be. The beast's claws could easily tear through his thin human skin in an instant, eviscerating him whilst subsequently immolating him. It was not a pleasant way to day, but it seemed unavoidable.

Tony closed his eyes, covered his face, and spent the one second he had left of life praying that heaven one accept him.

"Nidoqueen, Poison Jab!"

There was a loud sound of flesh smashing into flesh, accompanied by a grunt and a painful squeal of agony. "M-m-mar…" a wheezing voice rasped painfully.

Tony slowly opened his eye, lowering his arm from his face. He wasn't dead. Magmar hadn't laid a claw on him. What had…?

Something swished above his head. It was a tail, periwinkle in color, muscular, thick, and covered with a few sharp-looking spines. Tony's vision followed the tail to the body it was connected to. It was a bizarre Pokémon, roughly seven feet tall, reptilian in body-shape but without scales. Its back was covered in spines, much like the tale. It was bipedal, standing onto thick legs, each one with several sharp-looking claws. Its head was rounded in appearance, with two oval-shaped ears sitting on either side. It had two powerful arms on its torso.

One of those powerful arms was planted directly in Magmar's gut.

The Fire-type seemed to be frozen, its eyes wide open, even its bad, swollen one. Its arms and legs were shaking wildly, but it somehow remained standing. Not for long, however; with one last pained wheeze, the Magmar's eyes closed and it fell onto its back, slipping at last into a blissful, painless sleep.

The newcomer Pokémon brushed off its fist. "Nido," it grunted, the gruff tone of its voice sounding almost feminine.

Tony stared at the creature in silence, recognizing it. It was a Nidoqueen, a strange female-only species of Pokémon. Like Lucky and Spear, it was a final-stage Pokémon as well, the peak of power in her evolutionary line. "T-thank you," he managed to sputter out.

"Excellent work, Nidoqueen."

The man stepped forward, an appreciative smile on his face. Nidoqueen puffed out her chest in pride, clearly happy to have her trainer's praise. "Nido!" she happily proclaimed as her trainer returned her to her Pokéball.

The man pocketed his Pokémon and walked past the unconscious Magmar, stopping in front of the downed Tony. He stared down at the blond boy for a moment before offering his large hand to him. Tony took it, and the man helped him back to his feet. "Are you alright?" the man asked.

Tony could only nod mutely, finally understanding why the man had told him to get down; he had seen Magmar recovering from Lucky's attack and had warned Tony of the danger. The blond swallowed, looking to the unconscious Magmar. Had this man not come along, he might very well be dead right now.

He had been mere inches away… from dying. He shivered, even though it was quite warm outside. His legs suddenly felt like jelly, and a bizarre weariness washed over him, as if he could faint any second.

Tony was so caught up in his moment of realization that it took him a moment to realize that the man was talking to him. "Magmar are smart, savage creatures. Feigning unconsciousness is a trick that they can use with deadly results. You must be more careful next time."

Tony nodded, thoroughly humbled. "I-I will, sir," he said, bowing his head respectively.

"He's right, you know," Blue remarked. "You could've been killed. What is it with you, anyways?" He chuckled drily. "I mean, yesterday with the Arbok… some lady at the store mentioned you took down a Victreebel…"

Tony turned red. It seemed that he was becoming something of a local legend.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he asked, looking at Tony.

"Uh, well, yes," Tony admitted awkwardly. "There's been a lot of, uh, wild Pokémon showing up in Pallet Town lately. They're getting forced out of the Viridian Forest and…"

The man raised his hand for silence, a serious look on his face. "I was under the impression," he stated, "that the situation in the Viridian Forest was under control."

"Well, maybe it is," Tony stuttered. "But, uh, the weaker wild Pokémon are getting forced by the stronger ones to leave the forest, and they take up shelter in the Pallet Woods."

Blue nodded. "Yeah! My Gramps came here to investigate the rabid Pokémon for the Pokémon League! Just the other day he ran into a wild Ponyta that was freakin' crazy!"

"I see…" The man nodded, stroking his chin. The serious look faded for the most part, and his friendly smile returned. "Well, young man," he told Tony, "I'm very pleased to make the acquaintance of you and your friend. Allow me to introduce myself."

He held out his hand for Tony to shake. "My name is Mr. Sakaki," he said. "Giovanni Sakaki. The Gym Leader and Mayor of Viridian City."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Surprise Gym Leader! Duhn-duhn-duhn!**

**Enter Giovanni! Well, he seems like a nice, guy, doesn't he? Saving Tony and Viridian City like that was pretty sweet, and his Nidoqueen was clearly stronger than Lucky and Spear were. **

**What will Giovanni have to say to our hero? How will Aunt Sally react to Tony's injuries? And why the heck does Giovanni have an Italian first name and a Japanese last name? Tune in next time to find out! ...Well, two out of three of those questions will be answered.**

* * *

**Next time... Pallet Saga: Chapter 6: Sally's Decision. **


	7. Sally's Decision

**Pallet Saga: Chapter 7: Sally's ****Decision**

* * *

Meeting a mayor was one thing. Meeting a Gym Leader was something else entirely, at least to a Pokémon enthusiast like Tony.

Gym Leaders were Pokémon Trainers. Well, to be honest, calling a Gym Leader a Pokémon Trainer was akin to calling a five year-old with a hammer and nails a carpenter. Gym Leaders were professional celebrity Pokémon Trainers, renowned for their skill and dedication to their job. They got paid by the cities that sponsored them to battle against travelling Pokémon Trainers who wished to enter the Pokémon League and compete for the championship of the Kanto Region.

Meeting a Gym Leader was a pretty big deal to a wide-eyed country boy like Tony. He had never met a celebrity or a politician before, as Pallet Town was too small for a mayor and any legal disputes that the civilians had were settled in Viridian City. Since the Millers were a well-behaved bunch, they had never had any reason to seek out the aid of the mayor, and Tony, being fourteen years old and more interested in Pokémon than he was people, never paid much attention to politics or to Gym Leaders; whenever the news was on TV, he generally switched to some sort of Pokémon documentary or something, unless, of course, his Auntie or Pappy was watching something.

As such, Tony found himself completely unprepared for that moment. His mind froze, introverted shyness at full power, as he stared at the tall man in absolute silence, feeling like an absolute idiot. There he was, standing in front of possibly the most important person he would meet in his entire life, and he was stuttering and staring mindlessly.

Thankfully, Giovanni smiled kindly. "Yes, yes," he said, "I have that effect on people." His tone was very polite and understanding; maybe he was used to dealing with shy people.

"You're a Gym Leader?" Blue asked skeptically.

"Yes, I am," Giovanni replied. "I'm relatively new, yes, but nonetheless I do hold the rank."

"Then why the heck didn't you handle Magmar yourself?!" Blue demanded, obviously much less dumbfounded than Tony was. "It's part of a Gym Leader's responsibility to ensure the safety of those in his or her city!"

"Uh… Yeah, he's right," Tony managed to say. All Gym Leaders, regardless of age, were obligated by duty to protect the cities where they lived from wild Pokémon, criminals, and harsh weather. It was sort of like Tony's Pallet Patrol, only, as mentioned above, Gym Leaders got fame and fortune along with their honorable occupation and its duties.

"I know," Giovanni said in a polite tone. "It is indeed my duty to protect Viridian City, as both its Gym Leader and its mayor. However," he added, "my dear mother always told me never to stick my nose where it doesn't belong. It certainly didn't belong in that battle; Mr. Miller handled it with utmost skill and bravery, even if he did slip up slightly at the end."

Tony turned red; being called "Mr. Miller" made him feel very grown up, and the fact that it was coming from a Gym Leader of all people only made the compliment all the more effective.

Blue snorted, trying to hide the fact that he was actually impressed by Tony's bravery. "Yeah, well… Good work. Not that I couldn't have handled it myself or anything…"

"Thanks," Tony replied slowly; Blue being nice to him, even if seemed forced, was still fairly alien to him. He turned his attention away from the two humans and over to the motionless form of Magmar. The unfortunate creature was slumped over in a pile of gravel and rubble, blood still oozing from its gaping jaws.

A pang of pity struck his heartstrings; rabid Pokémon or not, Tony couldn't help but feel sorry for the Magmar. It looked so pitiful, lying there so helplessly. He looked to Giovanni. "So, uh," he said, "what happens to…?"

Before he could finish, an obnoxious sound shrieked through the air, a banshee-like wail that continuously rose and fell in pitch.

Giovanni scowled, an annoyed look replacing his proud one. "Oh, my," he said gruffly, "look who finally decided to show up."

A white motorcycle tore down the gravel road, its tires screeching in protest as the bike shot towards the scene of the battle. A hunched-over woman in a blue uniform was perched at the controls, her two short green pigtails dancing in the wind as she approached them. On the back of the bike was a squealing siren, blue and red lights spinning and flashing like some kind of irritating merry-go-round.

Tony wasn't sure what bothered him most: the fact that he knew someone (probably him) was about to get harshly scolded, the fact that the siren was noisy and obnoxious, the fact that he had just done this woman's job for her, or the fact that she was riding one of those ugly, noisy motorcycle. Probably the last one; Tony hated motorcycles.

The motorcycle loudly came to a halt at last, skidding across the road, showering Blue and Giovanni's ankles with sand and dust as it braked. The siren went silent at last but kept spinning and flashing. The woman cracked her knuckles and swung her legs over the side of the bike, her blue high-heels ill-suited for the gravel road. She rose up, easily a head taller than Tony was, adjusted her belt, the handcuffs clipped to it clinking noisily, and then turned to the three men. She straightened herself, her legs stiff, and marched towards them, a glare in her green eyes, which were hidden behind a pair of reflective sunglasses.

She was easily recognizable to all present. Her name – well, her title, technically – was Officer Jenny. The long arm (and small brain) of the law.

Calling Officer Jenny "Officer" was an honorific, really. In reality, she was pretty much just the police force's mascot. Wherever there was a police station there was an Officer Jenny, either descended from a long line of other Jennies or a volunteer who dyed her hair green for the sake of looking the part. Though the trend began in Kanto, it spread across the world when women's rights movements were popular. Officer Jenny, a supposedly strong, competent, and smart role-model for females everywhere. The movement spread like wildfire, growing in popularity especially in the Unova Region with the famous "We can do it!" posters*1 plastered to every wall that would take them.

Unfortunately, that was the history behind the title. This Officer Jenny was a modern Officer Jenny; as stated before, she was little more than the mascot of the police force now, a pretty face to help sell pastries at the station's annual bake-sale and to occasionally (special emphasis on occasionally) make getting a speeding ticket a little less annoying.

Regardless of the fact that she was little more than, if you'll pardon the expression, a token chick, this Officer Jenny carried herself with a proud stance as she walked towards the humans and the Pokémon, her arms folded behind her back, her sunglasses gleaming brightly in the sun.

Tony sighed, feeling a little irritated. Oh, so the cops actually showed up when rabid Pokémon attacked Viridian City, but when Pallet Town was under attack they kicked back, relaxed, and let a boy who was barely into puberty take care of it! How considerate of them.

Annoyances aside, Tony was actually happy to see Jenny was here. Now she could wrap this whole debacle, he, Blue, and Nicole could head back to Pallet Town, give Professor Oak his package, and then he could return to his normal life again.

Smiling politely (she was a police officer out of all), Tony stepped past Giovanni and Blue, walking towards Officer Jenny, eager to get this all over with. He raised his hand in greeting and opened his mouth to say hello.

The very moment he raised his hand, Jenny was already in motion. She shot forward, her right hand extending out and grabbing Tony by the wrist, gripping the scrawny boy's arm with a constricting grip. Before anyone else could do or say anything, Jenny was behind Tony, his arm still in her hand, and delivered an audible kick right in the back of his right leg's joint.

Tony's eyes bugged out as he stumbled forward with a cry, a horrific jolt of pain running through his body as he was brought to his knees. In one last swift motion, Jenny forced Tony's arms behind his back and snapped the cuffs onto his wrists.

Jenny planted her foot on Tony's back, shoving him roughly into the dirt road face-first. "I don't know who you are, kid," she grunted, "but you're in a whole world of trouble!"

Blue gaped. "W-w-what… What the heck?!"

Tony shared the young Mr. Oak's sentiments. "W-what did I do?" he asked, a tear of agony running down his cheek.

Officer Jenny growled down at him, just resisting the urge to kick the downed bug-catcher between the legs. She pulled her walkie-talkie from her belt and switched it on. "This is Jenny, badge three-two-four-one," she grunted gruffly into the speaker, her voice far more scratchy and rough than the softer Pallet tones Tony was used to. "I've got a wise-guy border-jumper here who's been dying for a chance to tour the station's jail-block. He's gonna need a pick-up."

"B-border jumper?" Tony stuttered. "But I…"

Jenny glared down at him. "Haven't you ever heard of the right to remain silent?" she snarled before returning to her walkie-talkie. "Get me a van over here pronto," she ordered. "Over n' out." She switched the talkie off and returned to glowering at Tony. "Boy," she growled, "you've got an awful lot of explaining to do."

"But I didn't do anything!" Tony tried to explain.

"Oh, so you didn't lead a rampaging Magmar to Viridian City?" Jenny asked.

"I led it _out _of Viridian City!"

"After you broke the border around Viridian Forest!" Jenny snapped. "Day in and day out we get idiotic Pokémon Trainers like you who think you're perfectly qualified to just waltz into the _monster-infested_ forest and try to score a prime catch! Well, you know what happens to those trainers?"

"U-uh…?" Tony stuttered.

"They get mauled!" Jenny shouted. "Or they lose a limb! Or they get fourth degree burns covering their body! And then the Pokémon get all antsy and go on a rampage, a rampage which the police force has to control! And why does that happen? Because the perimeter is consistently violated by brainless morons like you, that's why!"

"Ahem." Giovanni cleared his throat, just barely masking the growl that had been building up.

Officer Jenny froze and slowly turned around, surprise written on her face. "M-Mr. Sakaki? Oh, Mr. Sakaki!" She put on a stony and professional expression, stood up straight, and saluted at her superior. "I didn't see you there, sir! How are you, sir?"

Giovanni calmly folded his arms behind his back, his brow furrowed as he cast a very condescending look at the woman. "Officer Jenny…" he said in a low tone, "what on _earth_ do you think you're doing?"

Jenny never faltered in her stiff salute. "Arresting a perpetrator of your order to keep the Viridian Forest under lock and key, sir!" she proudly proclaimed. "This trainer led a rampaging Magmar to Viridian City! The property damage is quite astronomical, sir!"

"But I…" Tony stuttered.

Jenny growled. "Right. To. Remain. Silent!" she snapped, momentarily breaking her salute to glower at her prisoner.

Giovanni, thankfully, had had enough. "Officer, uncuff him this very instant!" he ordered harshly.

Jenny blinked, surprised. "S-sir? But he…!"

"This young man," Giovanni growled, stepping forward menacingly, "led that monster out of Viridian City and selflessly dispatched it here so that he could avoid any loss of life. Not only that, he has also been taking care of the rabid Pokémon that have been attacking Pallet Town – the rabid Pokémon that have been escaping the perimeter, very much like the trainers who consistently violate it despite the police forces… how did the chief put it again? The police force's 'best efforts'? Yes, I believe that was it." He gestured to the unconscious Magmar's body. "Do you see that?" he asked the silent Jenny. "That Magmar is your _'best effort'_. It's a rabid Pokémon who escaped the border of Viridian City and nearly killed people. It _would have_ killed people, had Mr. Miller here not led it out of the city and done your job for you." He laughed bitterly. "Oh, who am I kidding? He did your job for you and he did it _better_ than you ever have."

Jenny stiffened and swallowed, sweat trickling down her forehead.

"Now, tell me, _Officer_…" Giovanni sneered; never had the title of officer sounded so vile. "Why are wild Pokémon escaping the Viridian Forest and attacking Pallet Town?"

"T-the perimeter isn't perfect, sir," the policewoman whimpered. "Our focus is on keeping wild Pokémon out of Viridian City."

"Well, then, I suppose Pallet Town and the dozens of men, women, and children who live there aren't your responsibility then?" Giovanni asked. "Those dozens of men, women, and children who could very well be killed by rabid Pokémon due to your inability to maintain the perimeter?" His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Tell me," he growled, "why have I never heard of these Pallet Town attacks?"

Jenny was shaking wildly by now. "I… I, uh, well, whenever we got the call about the attack, sir, we would be informed upon arrival that a local child with Pokémon had dispatched the threat himself…"

Giovanni's temper nearly exploded right then and there. "And you… you are content… to allow a young man… a child, in your own words, to fight against such a threat himself?! A threat you are too lazy, incompetent, cowardly, or a combination of the three to deal with yourself?!" he snarled.

Jenny stepped backwards. "I… I…"

"Well, let me tell you, _Officer_," Giovanni sneered, "the child from Pallet Town who does your job better than you do… who protects the lives of innocents out of the goodness of his own heart and for no pay, whereas you are paid and next to useless in those regards… That child…" He pointed to the downed Tony, who was staring at his enraged defender with wide eyes. "That child is that boy there!"

Jenny gave a squeak, looking down to Tony and then to Giovanni, finally realizing just how thoroughly screwed she was. "H-him?!" she exclaimed. "B-but…" She shook her head. "He lead the Magmar through town, sir! He can't be-!"

"No he didn't!" Blue stepped forward; he and Tony were hardly friends, but he was by no means fond of the concept of police brutality. "Tony came here with me and a friend this afternoon! My friend – Nicole's her name, by the way – and me went into the Maruko Mart while Tony went to buy us ice cream! We were in the Maruko Mart for maybe five minutes before Tony came running by with that thing on his tail! Oh, and there were a whole bunch of witnesses with us, too," he added, casting a smug look at the petrified Jenny.

Giovanni growled loudly, returning his scathing glare to the officer. "Well?" he asked, giving her the opportunity to argue in her defense.

Jenny was a quivering wreck. Her glasses fell from her shaking face, her green eyes wide with panic. She looked like she was going to faint on the spot; here was Giovanni Sakaki, the most powerful local man and her boss, and he was angry with her – solely with her – and he looked like he was in the mood to lay out a pink-slip or two for her behavior today. "I… I…" she stuttered, really unable to think of a truly good way to defend herself. "I'll… I'll just… uncuff him, sir…"

"Yes, you will," Giovanni hissed. "And cancel that police van. And I'll expect you to issue a personal apology to this boy's parents…" he ordered Jenny quickly released Tony's hands and helped him back to his feet.

Tony rubbed his sore wrist. "Uh…" he said to Giovanni, "I don't, uh, live with my parents, sir." He winced as he stood up, Jenny's debilitating kick having left quite a nasty bruise on the back of his leg. "But you can apologize to my aunt and uncle," he told Jenny, as if that would be comforting to her.

"And you will deliver that apology in person," Giovanni insisted.

Tony winced; if there was one thing scarier than Giovanni, it was probably his Aunt Sally when she was angry. He almost felt sorry for… No. No, scratch that, he didn't feel sorry for Jenny at all.

Jenny dusted Tony off and showered him with apology after apology until he told her that he would be fine. He probably wouldn't be walking right for about a week, but he would be fine. With that done, he turned to Giovanni and bowed humbly as best he could given his injuries. "T-thank you, sir," he said politely, happy to not be spending the evening in the local police station.

Giovanni smiled. "Please, don't mention it. I owe you an apology, young man. As the mayor of Viridian City, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens…" – he cast another vicious glare at the quivering Jenny – "and the safety of those who visit our fair city. Given the police department's evident failure here and your success, I have to commend you for your valiant effort today."

"I was going to help…" Blue muttered underneath his breath.

"N-no thanks necessary," Tony told Giovanni. "I'm not looking for a medal or anything. Just doing what anyone else would do."

"Everyone except the people in the Maruko Mart," Blue drily added. "And Nicole…" he added.

Tony blinked. "Where _is_ Nicole?" he asked Blue. "Wasn't she with you?"

Blue rubbed the back of his head. "She, uh…" he muttered. "She was in the bathroom back at the store," he lied; no need to humiliate an innocent, pretty, and probably single foreign girl in front of everyone, after all.

Tony gave a very, very exhausted sigh, albeit not an angry or frustrated one. "Did you get the package?" he asked Blue.

"You know it!"

"Good. Get Nicole and let's home. I'm exhausted."

"Sure." Blue flashed one last grin. "Be right back!" he promised, starting to walk off.

"Good, good." Tony nodded. "You do that."

And then, be it from exhaustion or delayed fear, he collapsed into a dead faint, Giovanni catching him just before he hit the ground.

"W-wha-?!" Jenny cried, her face turning pale. "S-sir, that wasn't my fault! I sweat!"

Giovanni grunted lightly as he easily supported the blond's light frame. "Officer," he grunted, "just shut up and get a squad car over here. We're bringing this young man home."

Jenny saluted. "Y-yes sir!" she exclaimed, eager to redeem herself somewhat in the eyes of the mayor. She pulled her walkie-talkie out again and began to shout orders back to H.Q. frantically as Giovanni laid Tony gently on the grass beside the road. Blue hurried back to Viridian City, eager to get Nicole back so that they could go home and get Tony some help.

They were all unaware of the trio of men, all dressed in black and wearing masks, slowly poke their heads out of the bushes, all of them holding small binoculars up to their eyes.

"Target sighted…" one of them muttered, looking at the fallen Magmar. "Should we follow orders and secure it?"

"You wanna fight a Jenny and a Gym Leader?!" the other spat angrily, his own optics on Giovanni, who was checking Tony's pulse, just to be safe.

"If we don't bring back the target, H.Q.'ll be ticked," the third growled. "You wanna tell da boss you screwed up?!" he asked the second one.

"I screwed up?!" The second one swore as loudly as he dared. "Shut your face, useless! You want that thing?! You go and get it yourself! Besides, you're the one chased it into freakin' Viridian City!"

"But I…!" the third began, before he was silenced by the beeping of the walkie-talkie clipped to his belt. The three men went silent as the third reached down for the talkie, held it to his ear, and switched it on.

A horrible synthesized voice growled into his ear. "Return to base – now."

The men winced; their superiors had somehow seen their blunder. "S-sir," the third one stuttered. "It wasn't…"

"_Now,_ No. 345."

"Y-yes, sir." The man returned the talkie to his belt and swallowed. There would be a punishment for their failure; probably a painful one, too. They considered running, but the last grunts who ran from their punishment hadn't turned out so well.

Shaking and quivering, the three men disappeared into the foliage, their mission to capture the Magmar failed.

However, it was an easy loss to shrug off. It's not as if they didn't have hundreds of more Magmar in the Viridian Forest, all of them just waiting to be captured. And if they lived through whatever punishment was waiting for them when they returned to base, they could just go back to find another.

It seems that the perimeter around the Viridian Forest was far, far weaker than Jenny had thought.

* * *

"_Shut up!"_

Tony's eyes shot open as he jolted up, sweat trickling down his brow. He tried to scream, but all that he managed was a pathetic wheezing sound, followed by a series of frantic panting. He closed his eyes and, when he was able to speak softly, began his mantra once more, as he had done so many disturbed rests before: "It was only a dream. It was only a dream. It was only a dream." Each word was punctuated by a weary pant, as if something had actually been chasing after him.

It took a few moments for the blond to realize where he was exactly. He was lying on a familiar-feeling futon in a room he recognize easily, even though the lights were switched off: it was his own room. He was back home.

He slowly looked around the dark room, his blurry eyes hardly able to make out anything. If it wasn't for the familiar scent of his pillow and the familiar feel of his quilt, he wouldn't know where he was. His head felt foggy and unfocused, and he couldn't remember what had happened.

Memory returned shortly thereafter. Going to Viridian with Blue and Nicole, fighting off Magmar, meeting Giovanni, getting assaulted by Officer Jenny… it all came back to him. But had it actually happened, or had it just been a wild dream?

He tried to move his right leg. "G-gaah…" he groaned, wincing as sharp pain shot through his leg. Yep. It had happened alright. There was no way he was imagining that much pain.

There was a rustle of wings next to his bed, followed by a tired "Freeh?"

Tony tilted his head and found himself staring into Lucky's bright red eyes, staring at him from the darkness. She flitted forward, landing at the side of her trainer's futon. She had been waiting for hours for her trainer to wake up, worried sick about him as he laid there, unconscious. She had just been dozing off when she had heard her trainer groan in pain, alerting her to his awakening. "Freeh," she chirped in a relieved tone, happy to see her trainer was finally conscious again.

"H-hey girl…" Tony just managed to smile, reaching out and petting the Butterfree on the top of his head. "How's it going?" He sat up with a wince, the blow Jenny had dealt to his back still quite painful. "Aaugh…" he muttered, slumping back into the softness of his mat. "That hurts…" he muttered with a wince.

"Freeh…" Lucky chirped guiltily. This was all her and Spear's fault and she knew it; if they had been conscious when whatever it was that happened to Tony happened, they might have been able to put a stop to it. But now, here their trainer was, lying in his bed, incapable of moving without pain. He was practically a cripple now, the Butterfree realized, feeling worse than ever.

"I-I'm fine," Tony told his friend. "Really. J-just a little sore." Gritting his teeth, he placed his arms down to the mattress and shoved himself up, just managing not to groan in pain again. "S-see?" he asked as he finally managed to sit up. "I'm fine, really!"

Lucky brightened considerably. "Freeh!" she chirped, flying up to her trainer and nuzzling his chest wildly. "Freeh!" she cooed adoringly.

Tony smiled awkwardly, biting back a scream as the Bug/Flying-type cuddled his aching body. "G-good to see you're okay, too," he told her, patting her head again. He looked around. "Where's Spear?" he asked, concerned.

Lucky huffed. "Freeh!" she spat, gesturing to the shadowed box that sat near the closet. Tony could faintly hear chittering snores, followed by wild buzzing of wings; his Beedrill was safe – and sound asleep.

"Freeh!" Lucky growled. Her immature partner had had the audacity to fall asleep while their beloved trainer laid broken and beaten in his bed! How shameless could you get?

Despite her feelings, Tony was delighted to see his Beedrill was safe. "Good, good," he said. "You're both okay." He breathed a sigh of relief. "We're all safe…" he sighed, collapsing back into his bed. "Ow…" he murmured, the wounds aching as he flopped against the futon.

He sat there for about five minutes, feeling absolutely exhausted once more. Never in all of his days had he ever felt so physically taxed and drained. All of his limbs ached, and not just from Jenny's brutality: the wounds he earned from Magmar, cuts and bruises from wild shrapnel, ached, too, although someone had thankfully bandaged them up; probably Aunt Sally or Giovanni.

Tony winced. Aunt Sally. Oh, she was going to _explode_. He had always known that she wasn't very happy about his Pallet Patrol, but this was something entirely different. This time, he actually almost _died_. She wasn't going to let him out of her sight for a week at the very least, and he could probably kiss patrolling goodbye, too, and maybe even his long walks.

A long, long groan escaped his lips. "Darn it all…" he sighed. There went both what he felt was his duty to his fellow citizens and his favorite hobby, too. How on earth was he supposed to pass the time now? Sure, he had a Super Nintendo, but there was only so many times he could play through _Final Fantasy VI_ and _a Link to the Past _before becoming bored. After all, even great games could get dull after time. He couldn't spend all day watching TV, his hands hurt if he spent too much time drawing…

He groaned again, slapping his forehead with the arm that hurt the least. "Darn it…" he moaned again.

His ears perked at the sound of foot-steps – foot-steps headed right towards his room. His eyes widened. Aunt Sally!

"Lucky!" he whispered quickly. "Pretend to be asleep!" He knew a scolding was inevitable, of course,

"Freeh?" Lucky cocked her head to the side.

"Just do it!" Tony ordered before pulling the cover over him as snuggly as he could, burying his head into his pillow, and closing his eyes. Lucky, unsure of what else to do, froze on the spot like a doll and stiffly slumped face-first into the bed.

The door opened with a quiet click, light pouring into the room as it slowly swung open. The shadow of a woman was cast over Tony as she walked into the room, passing his futon and heading towards the dresser that sat at its side. Tony opened his eyes just a peep to see the familiar jade skirt and ankles of his Aunt Sally. He winced a little, shutting his eyes again, praying that she hadn't noticed him.

He heard his dresser being opened. "Now where is it…?" Aunt Sally muttered, shuffling through the drawer for a moment. "Ah, there it is…"

Tony slowly opened one eye, staring up at his Auntie warily. His eye widened a little when he realized what it was she had pulled out from his drawer: it was the Pokéball he was keeping Victreebel in, the one that he had been intending to turn into the police when he had the time.

He swallowed; somehow doubted that this was a good sign. Maybe Sally didn't think he was responsible enough to keep Victreebel under control, or maybe she was afraid that the Grass/Poison-type would escape and kill him. Either way, it was an ill omen for his future.

Sally held the Pokéball firmly in her hands, as if Victreebel might burst out at any moment. She turned to Tony's futon and looked down. Tony shut his eyes again, feigning a light snore. Underneath his blanket, he crossed his fingers.

Sally slowly leaned down to her nephew, reaching down to his face with her free hand and running it through his blond hair. "My poor baby…" she cooed. "It must have been so hard for you…"

Tony almost winced guiltily before he caught himself; here he was, whining in self-pity over getting scolded by his Auntie, and here she was, worrying about him in her usual motherly fashion. _Jerk…_ he called himself mentally.

Aunt Sally gave a gentle chuckle as she gave Lucky a fond pat as well. "And look at you," she said to the silent Butterfree. "So loyal to your trainer…" She sighed and made her way to the door, walking back to the hallway and slowly pulling the door shut. "P-Professor!" she called, right before she shut the door. "I've got it!"

The very moment the door shut Tony opened his eyes, a confused expression crossing his face. "Professor Oak is here?" he asked aloud, keeping his voice low.

He slowly sat up again, wincing a little bit. Lucky perked back up again, equally curious as to what the Professor could be doing at their home. "Freeh?"

"Shh!" Tony shushed her. His own curiosity getting the best of him, he pushed himself out of bed. His limbs screamed in protest as pain shot through his nerves, but he ignored them. He slowly tip-toed over to the door of his room, moving as carefully and quietly as he could. He opened the door and stepped outside into the hallway of his house. Fortunately, the Miller household was small, and Tony didn't have to creep past the edge of the hall to be able to hear everything Aunt Sally and her guests were saying.

"Well?" he heard his Auntie ask. "Do you think it's like the others?"

"I'll need to run some tests to be completely sure… but, yes. I do believe that this Victreebel is rabid." That voice had been the oaky tone of Professor Oak. "Do you think Tony would mind if I borrowed it?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind at all," Aunt Sally replied politely, correctly guessing her nephew's answer to Oak's question. "Tony's never shown interest in training it. He was going to turn it in to the police when he had the chance, but I'm sure it will be much better off with you, Professor, _especially_ after what happened today…"

"I said I was sorry…" the voice of Officer Jenny whimpered pathetically.

"Very good," Oak said, his tone of voice happy. "If the antidote works, I'll be able to cure it alongside Arbok, Ponyta, and Magmar!"

Tony blinked, confused. Antidote? What antidote? A part of him wanted to go in and ask them all personally, but the voice of Giovanni silenced him before he could say a word or take a step: "Such wonderful new, Samuel. I look forward to hearing the results of your research. I'm certain that the results will be most fascinating, as well as beneficial."

_Giovanni's in my house?_ Tony thought, surprised. _Oh, man, a Gym Leader's in _my_ house! _

"I certainly hope so," Oak replied. He gave a tired-sounding sigh. "Dr. Kōdokuso*2 worked long and hard on that antidote, and Lord knows that the local Pokémon need it…"

"Don't you worry," Giovanni reassured the Pokémon Professor. "Dr. Kōdokuso is a scientific genius when it comes to chemistry and chemicals. I'm certain that the antidote will work."

Oak sighed again. "Well, we'll all know for certain in the morning," he said, his voice sounding weary. "Arbok and Ponyta have already been injected, but we'll have to wait until morning to see if it works or not."

"I hope it works…" Sally's voice was sad. "I've… I get so worried whenever Tony goes off and fights those Pokémon… He always told me not to worry, b-but after today, I… I…" She gave a loud sniffle.

Tony winced, frowning guiltily. _Auntie…_

"I always hoped…" Sally's voice sniffled, "that one day, he wouldn't have to fight such horrible Pokémon… That he could be safe and at home… That the police would handle incidents like that…" Her voice took a bitter tone. "Well… I don't think that _last one_ will be happening any time soon…"

"I said I was sorry!" Jenny repeated, louder this time.

"Quiet, you," Giovanni ordered.

Tony bit back a chuckle, trying hard not to laugh. After a moment, he finally garnered the courage to peek out from the hallway, his icy blue eyes staring into the living room.

Aunt Sally was sitting in her favorite recliner chair, a cup of steaming comfort tea clutched in her hands as she slumped over into her seat, a distressed and exhausted expression on her face. Professor Oak and Giovanni were sitting next to each other on the jade-colored couch. Oak's eyes were shut and his head was arched back; the poor man looked exhausted, as if he himself had fought off Magmar. Giovanni, however, was sitting tall and proud, his professional attitude refusing to allow a moment of slumpiness in a house that he was a guest in. Officer Jenny was standing behind the couch, rubbing a newly bandaged and sizable bruise on her forehead. Tony smiled bemusedly, the broom that was leaning against Aunt Sally's chair indicating why Jenny had suffered such a wound; Aunt Sally's overprotective nature left little room in her heart for forgiveness for those who hurt her family, even if it was the police.

"So," Professor Oak asked after a long moment of silence. "What happens now?"

"I'll tell you what happens now," Giovanni said with a grin. "Ms. Miller, I am hereby dedicating several squads of the Viridian City Police Force to patrolling this area and ensuring the safety of the citizens so that your nephew won't have to risk his own life doing the job that the police should be doing."

Sally's eyes opened wide, a delighted smile on her face. "Y-you will?" she asked. "Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Sakaki!"

"No thanks are necessary," Giovanni replied, raising his hand. "It's really the least I can do. In fact, it's what I should have done months ago. The fact that a civilian was forced to do the job of the police disgusts me to my core. It was my own negligence that led to this problem; it is only right that I be the one who fixes it." He cast a look at his wayward policewoman. "And Officer Jenny here," he added sternly, "will be in charge of ensuring that no more Pokémon attack Pallet Town whatsoever."

Jenny winced but saluted nonetheless. "Y-yes, sir."

"Thank goodness," Sally sighed happily. "Now Tony won't have to risk his life on those Pallet Patrol things…" She giggled brightly. "Now he can find a safer hobby!"

_Like what?_ Tony thought to himself. _It's not like you're going to let me out of your sight any time soon… _

Oak straightened himself. "A new hobby?" he asked curiously. "Like what?"

Sally shrugged. "Well," she said, "I don't really know… Normally, Tony just likes going on long walks, but I have a feeling he might wander near those rabid Pokémon if he sees them. He always has to play the hero…"

_You make that sound like a bad thing…_ Tony thought, rolling his eyes.

Oak smiled. "Well," he said thoughtfully, "if he doesn't have anything better to do… Maybe he could do a little favor for me."

"A favor?" Aunt Sally asked cautiously; Tony's last favor for Oak hadn't turned out so well. "What kind of favor?"

"Nothing at all dangerous, I assure you!" Oak chuckled. "I'd just like him to travel across the entirety of Kanto and gather data on every native species of Pokémon."

"Oh." Aunt Sally nodded slowly, raising her mug to her lips. It took a second for what Professor Oak had said to finally register in her brain. Her eyes widened and she coughed in surprise, her mouthful of tea splashing back into her cup. "W-w-what?" she gasped.

Tony was equally stupefied. _What?_

"Well, simply put," Professor Oak said with a wary tone, "I'd like the aid of a talented Pokémon Trainer in doing a little beta test for an invention of mine. I originally intended to only give one to Blue, but I thought that Tony might be able to help us both out with testing it to ensure that it works properly. It's a very handy device and completely harmless."

Giovanni nodded, slowly stroking his chin. "An invention?" he asked. "Professor, you don't mean…"

Oak grinned. "Exactly," he confirmed.

"I see…" Giovanni smiled. "Well, the boy certainly does have talent. It seems a waste not to let him pursue a career with the skills he has shown, and your invention would make the journey much easier and safer for him."

Tony turned a little red. A Gym Leader thought he had talent. Oh, sure, Professor Oak thought he had talent, too, but Giovanni hadn't tried to ride a wild Ponyta, so it meant a little more coming from him.

Unfortunately, Aunt Sally chose this moment to speak up, her voice quite indignant considering her company. "I-I beg your pardon!" she exclaimed, startling both of her guests. "As much as I appreciate your help and kindness, I do not think you are in any position to decide what is best for my child!"

Oak sweat-dropped. "Eh… But I thought you were his aunt…"

"I am his aunt!" Sally replied indignantly; she actually sounded almost offended at being called an aunt, as if it were an insult to her. "I am also his legal guardian, and I do not believe that Tony is ready to travel anywhere without supervision, especially on a Pokémon Journey of all things!"

_I'm not?_ Tony thought to himself, feeling oddly disappointed.

"He's not?" Giovanni asked, the nervousness in Oak's voice absent from his own. Evidently he was used to being yelled at by manic women.

Sally huffed indignantly. "My Tony is too young and too shy to go on a Pokémon Journey. He isn't ready for that sort of thing."

"Too young?" Professor Oak asked. "Most children begin when they're ten, and you told me that Tony is fourteen…"

_He's got a point…_ Tony thought.

"Tony isn't 'most children'," Aunt Sally retorted. "He's a very shy and sensitive boy!"

Said shy and sensitive boy slapped his forehead. _I know it's true, but do you have to blab about it to a Gym Leader?!_

"He is?" Professor Oak asked, tilting his head to the side with a confused expression. "He seems to be getting along well with Blue…"

Tony slapped his forehead again. _You cannot be serious…_

"…and Blue is hardly easy to get along with," Oak continued, unaware of his spy's frustration. "Believe me, I should know."

Sally was turning red and her hands were starting to shake. Tony instinctively stepped back into the hallway, knowing that while his Auntie was normally sweet, she could get pretty scary when provoked. Oak didn't know what he was getting into.

"Blue's leaving on his own Pokémon Journey soon," Oak explained. "Now that he's got his Starter Pokémon he's been biting at the bit to get out of Pallet Town and into the world." He smiled wistfully and folded his arms.

Sally sighed. "That's wonderful, Professor," she said, her voice audibly strained.

"It is," Oak agreed as if Sally had meant that sincerely. "Pokémon training is a fine way for a young man to spend his adolescence. Hiking up mountains, exploring caves, wading through rivers, biking across wide fields…" He sighed, remembering the carefree days of his youth. "Why, without my days as a Pokémon Trainer, I never would have been able to become the lovable professor I am now!" he exclaimed.

Giovanni turned to the stuttering Aunt Sally. "If you do not mind me asking, Mrs. Miller," he said, "what is it that Tony wants to be when he is grown?"

"W-well, a Pokémon Entomologist*3," Sally answered. "At least, that's what he wants to be now... I'm not sure whether or not he'll change his mind…"

"Well, any sort of Pokémon Biologist needs to have gone on a Pokémon Journey in order to apply for education in the science," Giovanni replied.

"Indeed!" Oak agreed with a nod. "If Tony is to become a Pokémon Entomologist, he needs to have gone on a journey."

"I… I know that," Sally said, her voice shaking. "I just… I just think that Tony ought to wait until he's older, that's all!" she huffed at last. "Besides, I don't think Tony even wants to go on a journey right now. He's-"

"Now that's where you're wrong, Sally."

The creaking sound of Pappy's voice silenced the room with an amazing authority for a man so old and feeble to possess. All eyes in the living room turned to the old man as he hobbled in, supporting himself on his cane, a grim look on his face.

Tony slowly peered out from the hall once more, struggling to catch a glimpse of his grand-uncle. "Pappy," he heard Aunt Sally say softly, "you're home. How was bowling?"

"Bowling was fine," Pappy replied. "Don't try to change the subject, though. We need to talk."

Sally huffed. "There's nothing to talk about," she said with a tone of absolute finality. "Tony isn't ready. He may not even want to go."

"I already said you were wrong about that," Pappy replied. "Tony wants to go."

"He does?" Professor Oak asked.

_I do?_ Tony thought, surprised.

"You've seen it, haven't you?" Pappy asked Sally, his gaze solely focused on his daughter-in-law. "That faraway look in his eyes? The constant walks, the need to be alone in nature? The way he insists he battle against the rabid Pokémon? I've seen this before. It happened to me. It happened to Bradley. It probably happened to you, too. Tony has wanderlust."

"Wanderlust…" Sally slowly mumbled to herself. Her eyes went wide. "W-wait, lust?" she exclaimed, standing up. "Are you implying…? Oh, this is horrible!" she cried, charging towards the hallway.

Tony's heart nearly leaped into his chest. Putting a hand over his mouth to keep himself from screaming, he swiftly scurried back to his bedroom as quickly and quietly as he could.

"Sally!" Pappy called. "Where are you going?"

"Tony's bedroom!" Sally replied, never breaking stride. "I need to make sure he's not hiding any magazines underneath his futon!"

Tony nearly fell over as he stumbled into his room. _Auntie!_

Pappy face-palmed. "Not that kind of lust!" he shouted. "Wanderlust! The desire to travel around the world and see new place, not… that."

"Oh." Sally sat back down. "So no magazines?"

"No magazines," Pappy promised.

He said it just loud enough that Tony had heard him in his room. _And shame on you for thinking I had any!_ he thought, feeling absolutely scorned that his own Auntie had thought so lowly of him. Gathering up his courage, he slowly crept out of his futon once more.

Sally gave a breath of relief. "Thank goodness…" she said, putting her hand over her heart. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked over to her three blushing guests. "Sorry about that," she apologized, her tone so casual that it was as if nothing incredibly awkward had just happened.

Professor Oak, Giovanni, and Officer Jenny were all bright red and sweat-dropping. "That's… quite alright…" Giovanni muttered at last.

"R-right…" Oak agreed.

"Sir," Officer Jenny whispered to Giovanni, "can I wait by the car?"

"Quiet," Giovanni ordered.

Pappy got straight to the point, as was his way: "Tony's been like this for a while," he told Sally. "He's restless – he needs to explore, to see the world. He can't do that here. No one could truly experience adventure from the comforts of their own home, especially with a doting aunt. Not only that, but he has a real talent when it comes to Pokémon battles. You've seen him in action, haven't you? He's been protecting this town for months now with that talent of his." He looked over to Giovanni. "I assume Mr. High-and-Mighty Mayor here will be handling such incidents from now on?" he inquired with mock-politeness to the Viridian Gym Leader.

Giovanni ignored the feigned sweetness of the old man's words; as someone who was kissed up to constantly, it was refreshing to hear some weakly-veiled distaste. "I do," he told the old man. "You have my word. Mr. Miller will no longer have to risk his own safety protecting this town."

Pappy nodded once. "Good," he said. He turned his glare to Jenny, jabbing the policewoman in the side with his cane. "You know," he told the greenette, "I've called the station before to report incidents with rabid Pokémon and you never showed up…"

Jenny closed her eyes so that the old man didn't see her rolling them. _One or two little slip-ups and suddenly you're _everybody's_ punching bag…_

"Getting back to the matter at hand," Pappy continued, returning his attention to Sally, "now that the police are actually doing their jobs, Tony's not going to be able to fight any of those wild Pokémon. I know my grand-nephew the same way I knew Bradley when he was a boy. Boys want adventure, Sal! Adventure! And Tony wants it right now."

"He does?" Sally whispered.

_I do?_ Tony thought.

"Like I said," Pappy continued, "the way he's staring off into the distance, looking at the horizon, to the distance, to the future… not paying any mind to where he is and what he is doing!" He slammed the end of his cane on the wooden floor. "Every day I see it, Sally, and you see it, too. He wants to leave Pallet Town." He sighed. "As much as I know it hurts, it's time for the Pidgey to leave the nest and learn to fly on his own. You can't dote on him for his entire life."

Sally looked down to her bare feet. "B-but…"

"Tony doesn't have a girlfriend, does he?" Pappy asked.

Tony turned red and slapped his forehead again. _Any picture of me when I was six years-old you wanna show them, Pappy? _

"No," Sally replied. "No girl in Pallet Town has shown any interest in him…" She paused and looked at Pappy with a distressed look. "Are you _sure_ there's no magazines…?"

"Forget about the magazines!" Pappy ordered.

_Yeah, forget about the magazines!_ Tony rubbed his eyes. He could hardly stand to eavesdrop on this humiliating discussion anymore.

"I'm not saying that Tony needs a girlfriend," Pappy continued, "or that he's doomed to celibacy if he stays here forever. But you've seen him, Sal. How he prefers the company of Pokémon to people…"

_Again, something you shouldn't be telling to a Gym Leader!_ Tony thought. _And there's nothing wrong with that!_

"How he has next to no human friends?" Pappy continued.

Jenny giggled quietly. "This kid's got issues…"

Giovanni growled.

"S-sorry!" the greenette squeaked.

Pappy walked across the living room and put his hand firmly on Sally's shoulder, slowly sitting down on the arm of her chair. "It's time," he told her in a quiet voice. "Tony has to leave home."

Sally gave a long, depressing, whimpering sigh. "I know…" she muttered. "I know… I just… you know how shy he can be… The thought of him running around the world without me or you or Bradley…" She shivered. "I…"

Giovanni spoke up. "There's a time for hellos," he said in a calm and reflective tone, "and a time for goodbyes. Goodbyes do not have to last forever, however," he added.

Oak nodded in agreement. "I'm not saying that I know better than you do, Sally," he told the brunette, "and I'm not telling you how to raise your child. I just think that this could be a wonderful opportunity for your boy! Think of it: working for me, the one and only Professor Samuel Oak! That would look quite lovely on any college application form, wouldn't you say?"

"The boy has great talent and greater potential," Giovanni declared firmly. "I won't tell you how to raise your nephew, but I will tell you this: I have seen such talented trainers before and I have seen those trainers _squander_ their gifts heartlessly and foolishly. Your nephew… he isn't like that. He deserves Pokémon… more than anyone I've ever met."

"And think of what it would mean to Pallet Town," Pappy added, slapping the silent Sally on the back. "There's never been a Pokémon League Champion from Pallet Town! Think of the honor it would bring to your fellow citizens, the pride of knowing that their town produced such a wonderful Pokémon Trainer!"

Tony turned paler and paler with each word of Pappy's boast. _He… he thinks that I could actually be… the Pokémon League Champion? _

A part of him didn't want to believe it; Pappy was just making things up so that Sally would let him go. After all, the Pokémon League Champion was a champion; trainers who ascended to that level were generally considered to be the greatest Pokémon Trainers of their regions.

No, no, Pappy was just making it up. For certain. Wasn't he? Pappy wasn't a liar, after all… Maybe he really did believe…

Sally slowly looked up, her eyes wet with tears that threatened to spill at any moment. "D-do you really think that?" she asked.

"Of course I do!" Pappy declared. "And you two think so, too, right?" he asked Giovanni and Oak.

Oak smiled. "Yes," he said, "I believe any trainer, with enough dedication and hard work, can become Pokémon Champion." He chuckled. "Blue's already made that his own goal, too…"

Sally slowly looked down to her feet again before looking back to Pappy. "Tony as Champion…" she muttered.

Tony was just as dumbfounded, trying to imagine himself in front of a cheering crowd of admirers, standing on top of a majestic tower with a team of amazing Bug-type Pokémon behind him, and with hundreds of trainers and Gym Leaders standing beneath him. Him, Tony Miller, a parentless boy who lived in the smallest town in Kanto who was a social introvert and was so short that he looked like a little kid.

He nearly snorted. Laughable! Aunt Sally would never…

"I…" Sally sighed again. "I understand. You're right, Pappy…"

Tony blinked. _He is?_

"Tony's growing up, whether I like it or not," Sally admitted, more to herself than to anyone else. "I wish that things could stay the way they are now… but time waits for no man… and for no aunt, either." Then, with regret and fear in her voice, she said, "I can't expect Tony to remain here forever… He's growing up a little more every day. It's time… it's time for him to try and follow his dreams… and if a Pokémon Journey is the way to accomplish this, then… Then he has my permission to go."

Tony nearly fell over and it wasn't just because of Jenny's painful assault upon him earlier. Aunt Sally – his Auntie – a very overprotective woman and the closest thing he had to a mother in his life… had just given him permission to leave the comforts of home and the morality and simplicity of country living to go off into the world on an adventure…

Adventure…

His blue eyes went as wide as saucers as true realization dawned upon him. He was going on an adventure… he was going to actually leave Pallet Town with only his Pokémon by his side… Aunt Sally was actually giving him permission to see the world!

He nearly squeed in joy before he remembered that he was supposed to be absolutely silent. Covering his giggling mouth with his hand, he continued to listen in, his heart beating quickly and eagerly.

Pappy folded his arms and nodded. "That's right," he agreed.

Aunt Sally looked up. "B-but he doesn't have to leave if he doesn't want to!" she added sternly. "I said that he has to grow up, but I won't force him to do it."

"No one is saying you should," said Professor Oak soothingly.

Giovanni nodded. "If he does choose to go," he said, "be certain to tell him to head to Viridian City first. I'll battle him in my Gym if I have the time." He stood up. "If you'll excuse me," he said with a bow, "as much as I've enjoyed your exceptional hospitality and delightful company I'm afraid that I have business to attend to in the morning and as such I need to return home in time for dinner and bed."

"Of course, Mr. Sakaki, of course," Sally said, nodding. "Thank you so much for your help."

"It was my pleasure," Giovanni replied with a suave smile. "Officer," he said to Jenny, his warm tone vanishing, "let's get our shoes*4 and be on our way."

Jenny nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir."

Professor Oak stood up as well, his back creaking a little as he did so. "I'd better get going, too," he said. "Daisy will throw a fit if I'm not home in time for my vitamins and dinner."

Pappy chuckled. "Growing old is a choice, Sammy," he said. "Why, I'm over sixty and I'm not relyin' on drugs like you are."

Oak frowned. "Getting old is a choice alright," he muttered, rubbing his sore back. "A choice my spine made for me… Egh…" He shook it off. "If Tony does choose to go on a journey, be sure to send him to my lab before he leaves town. My invention will be a huge help to him, as I hope it will be a help to many other trainers."

"I will," Sally promised with a nod. "Thank you for coming!"

The three guests politely bid farewell to Sally and Pappy before making their way to the door and leaving the Miller household, their hosts walking them to the door and bidding them a fond farewell. The brief roar of an engine outside announced the departure of Jenny and Giovanni. Professor Oak, meanwhile, walked to the house that sat next to the Miller's, whistling to himself as he made his way home.

Sally, no longer bound by the duties of a good host, slowly made her way back to the living room and flung herself upon her favorite chair, slumping lazily into the soft material. "What a day…" she moaned exhaustedly, as if she had been the one to lead the angry Magmar out of town.

Pappy nodded in agreement as he followed her into the living room. "So," he said, returning to the subject at hand, "when are you going to tell him?"

"First thing in the morning," Sally promised. "I don't want to wake him up right now. He's had a busy day."

Pappy nodded as he sat down on the sofa. "He'll be fine," the old man promised, as if he could sense that Sally was still horribly worried about the concept of letting her beloved nephew out into the dangerous world alone. "He's a Miller, after all."

"In name and spirit only," Sally sadly replied. "Pappy…" She looked over to the old man, wring her hands together, "I… I may not be Tony's real mother… but I still worry about the poor boy. I hated it when he started that Pallet Patrol thing. I was always terrified that some horrible Primeape would beat him within an inch of his life, or that he'd get bitten by a Poison-type…" She rubbed her eyes. "I… I was always worried that one day he'd come home covered in blood and bruises… and even more worried that one day he wouldn't come home at all… Letting him out of our home… letting him out there, in the big, bad, cold world is…"

"Is something that needs to happen sooner or later," Pappy finished for her.

Sally turned away. "I know… I'll tell him in the morning," she promised again.

But Sally didn't need to tell Tony at all; he had heard everything from his hiding place in the shadows of the hall. Shocked surprise was his expression as he leaned against the wall, eyes wide and unblinking, jaw hanging open.

"Freeh?" Lucky whispered, nudging his shoulder in an attempt to bring her trainer out of his shell-shocked state.

"Huh?" Aunt Sally's voice murmured from the living room. "Was that Lucky I just heard?"

Tony blinked, returning to reality. He grabbed Lucky and slammed a hand over her mandibles to keep her quiet before hastily tip-toeing back into his room, gently closing the door behind him. Releasing his Butterfree, he rushed to his futon and quickly got back in, pulling the covers over himself and trying to mimic the same position Sally had seen him in before. Lucky followed her trainer's example, plopping next to him on the bed and feigning sleep.

Fortunately for both of them, Aunt Sally didn't come to investigate the sound. As Tony and Lucky had fled the hall, Pappy had set her curiosity to rest: "She probably just woke up. She'll go back to sleep or fly off somewhere."

"Right…" Sally nodded. "I… I'd better get started on dinner," she decided. "Leftovers?"

"Sure," Pappy said as he reached for the remote control for the television. "Wonder if the game is on…" he muttered as he switched it on and began to flip through channels. In other words, thus began another usual evening at the Miller household, save for one factor.

In his dim room, staring at the ceiling, laid Tony, totally still and totally silent, save for periodic soft disbelieving breaths. The long conversation between his family and his guests repeated over and over again in his mind. The exhaustion from earlier had returned, his energy no longer revitalized by having a Gym Leader in his home.

He… he actually had… He could…

Weariness took ahold of him once more, and his eyes closed. The last thing he heard was the gentle sound of Lucky's snoring as the Butterfree joined him in slumber.

* * *

_He was on top of a mountain, the sun on his face, the air crisp and clean. _

_He was running through a forest, Lucky and Spear flying by his side, laughing happily at every new discovery that awaited them._

_ He was at the shore of a majestic ocean, the wind blowing through his hair, the sea foam lapping at his toes. _

_Then, everything went completely black, the amazing and beautiful scenery vanishing into nothingness. He fell back, falling, falling, falling into some kind of dark abyss slowly, like he was sinking into a great sea, without the water and lethal suffocation of course. _

_ He hit the bottom, landing softly on his feet._

_His eyes shot open. He struggled not to wince as hundreds of camera flashes went off at once, blinding him. The air was filled with the clicking and cheers._

_A woman, an attractive blonde one at that, walked up to him, a wide charismatic grin on her painted lips. She placed a large golden trophy into his arms, melded in the shape of a gleaming Pokéball. He accepted it with a dumbfounded "Eh?" that earned a giggle from the blonde._

_The reporters began to shower him with questions like, "Mr. Miller, how does it feel to be the only Bug-type Champion in the history of the Pokémon League?" or "Mr. Miller, do you have any changes you'd like to make to the league?" and "Mr. Champion, sir, what's your secret? How is it that a fourteen year-old boy can beat so many older and more experienced trainers?"_

_After a moment of contemplation, he raised his hand for silence. Thankfully, it worked. "I… Uh…" He cleared his throat. "Being the Pokémon League Champion of Kanto is… is really something amazing. I never really thought I'd make it this far but I'm really glad that I did. Uh, as for my secret… I think that having a good relationship with your Pokémon is really important. If you work hard together, you can accomplish almost anything."_

_ It was cheesy schlock and he knew it, but the reporters seemed to eat it up. A few of them even clapped; most took pictures though. After a series of bright flashes, someone in the back asked, "So, the fact that you were constantly battling against rabid Pokémon constantly didn't help at all?" _

_A collective chuckle rippled through the audience._

_ "Uh… Yeah, that probably helped, too," he admitted._

_ Another chuckle, this one a little louder._

_ "Mr. Champion!" said one of the reporters from before. "You never answered my question, sir! Do you have any changes you plan to try to implement into the Kanto League?" _

_ After a moment of silence, he gave a shrug. "Well… Nothing really comes to mind, to be honest…"_

_ "What about the plans to charge trainers at Pokémon Centers?" another reporter asked. "What are your feelings about that?"_

_Oh, no! His eyes widened. Politics! His twenty-third weakness!_

_ Fortunately, the pretty blonde who had given him the trophy raised her hands. "The Champion," she declared, "has had a very long day! Let's give him some time to adjust to his new position, shall we?" _

_Then, in the blink of an eye, the reporters vanished. He was alone with the older blonde. _

_ She looked down at him, her smile vanishing. "I…" She looked away, ashamed. "I'm amazed… You've become so strong… and all without me… I was a fool… So proud of… you…"_

* * *

Tony's eyes shot open and he gasped – again. He jolted up in surprise, a shocked expression on his face.

That dream. It had been… good. It was a good dream.

He slumped down back into his futon, disbelieving. A good dream. He hadn't had a good dream for nine straight years.

He slowly rose up again, looking to his side. The clock read 5:50. He had a feeling he had been asleep for a while, so he assumed it was early morning. The room was dark so it was also probably before dawn. Aunt Sally and Pappy were asleep, as well as Lucky, who was curled up on the edge of his futon, and Spear, who was snoring in his box. He was likely the only one awake right now – alone with his thoughts.

The dream had mostly faded away the very moment he opened his eyes. Most people couldn't remember much of their dreams, and Tony was no exception to that rule. However, he could recall bits and pieces of it: more specifically, the amazing places he had seen so vividly that they looked to be real places. He remembered being named Champion of Kanto, put on a pedestal as the most powerful Pokémon Trainer in the region… and the blonde woman. In red. He remembered her, too.

He sighed. He hated red. What a nasty color.

Still, the dream was the final straw in his book. Aunt Sally had said he could go on a journey – and he was going to do just that. He loved his family and he loved Pallet Town… but there was a whole new world out there just waiting for him to discover it… No.

He looked over to the snoozing Luck and then to the equally unconscious Spear. A whole new world for them to discover. No more fighting off rabid Pokémon. No more hiking around Pallet Town over and over again. No more Blue.

The number on the clock read 6:00 and began to beep. Down the hallway, another alarm – Aunt Sally's alarm – went off.

Tony got out of bed to greet his Auntie – and to ready himself for perhaps the greatest adventure in his entire life.

"Look out, world," he whispered to himself, smiling brightly as he opened his door, "because here comes Tony Miller and he's not going home until he's won the Kanto League… W-well, he'll also probably come home when Christmas comes and maybe for Auntie's birthday and…" He paused and groaned, slapping his forehead. "Okay, the speech needs work… Whatever."

He went to find his Auntie and tell her the news.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Holy crap, that was a long one. :D Hope you enjoyed it! Looks like Tony's finally setting off on his adventure! Tune in next time for the interlude of the Pallet Saga!**

**You'll also notice that I posted this chapter early. That's because Good Friday is tomorrow and I'll be busy fasting and might not have the time to update, so I decided to do so early just to be safe. :D I hope you don't mind, and Happy Easter to those who celebrate it! **

* * *

**Culture Time! **

***1: "We can do it!" posters: A reference to the real-world posters featuring Rosie the Riveter, a character used to encourage women to take up manufacturing jobs normally occupied by drafted men during World War II, particularly the manufacturing of munitions and weapons for the war effort. The character is a famous icon in the U.S.A. and a feminist symbol. **

***2: Dr. Kōdokuso: "Kōdokuso" is actually the Japanese word for anti-venom. I couldn't really think of a name for the Doctor who developed the anti-venom, so I figured goi****ng using the Japanese word for anti-venom would be kind of cute. Maybe not, though. You decide. **

***3: Entomologist: An Entomologist is a scientist who studies insects. **

***4: "Get our shoes." In Japanese culture, it is polite to remove your shoes whenever entering a house, even if it's your own house. Even guys in suave suits and policewomen are no exception to this common courtesy.**

* * *

**Next time... Pallet Saga Interlude.**


	8. Pallet Saga Interlude

**Pallet Saga: Interlude.**

* * *

Raindrops gently pattered down upon Viridian City, water washing away the foot and splashing against the melted asphalt and scorched bricks. On any other night, the city would still be crawling with activity – it was a city, after all – but tonight everyone would rather stay in their beds. A rabid Magmar attack tended to leave people feeling rather insecure about going outside.

Yes, yes, Tony and Giovanni had saved the day and no one had died or even wound up that seriously injured. Everyone knew that and they were all eternally grateful to the wonderful man they had elected to be their mayor and the blond boy who had helped lead the Magmar out of town. However, even though they had all been saved, they all knew that they could have very easily died had those two brave souls decided not to get involved, and that scared them all.

Husbands and wives huddled together nervously. Children clutched their stuffed toys and shivered in their sleep. Pet Pokémon warily kept their eyes to the still unrepaired streets, the three-toed footprints of the Magmar still melted into the asphalt. It had happened two days ago but it was still fresh on their minds. It was almost like a terrorist attack; they would grow up, move on, and eventually sleep at ease once again. But they would never forget what had happened that fair spring day, when it seemed like the devil himself had come to pay Viridian City a visit.

Still, not everyone was tucked away safely in their homes. A lone man, wrapped in a rain-soaked trench coat and wearing a dripping fedora on his head, quickly and quietly walked through the streets of the lonely city, the flickering streetlights casting their constantly dying glow upon him as he swiftly made his way to a lone telephone booth sitting on the corner of the street.

He gave a relieved sigh when he saw it. _Finally._ He had been looking for a telephone booth for three whole hours but somehow, by some sort of anti-miracle, the Magmar had managed to completely destroy every other one he had come across. Even though the man was hardly afraid to be out at this hour, the Magmar's attack had had an effect on him as well, albeit a much smaller one.

To a normal person with a normal employer, this problem would be nonexistent. The soaked man could make his call from a Pokémon Center or a hotel, both of which often offered free or cheap phone service. But this was not a normal man, and his employer was quite strict about the phone call policy she had put into place: only use phones that cannot be traced and only call when no one is watching or listening.

It was times like this, when the poor dolt was soaked head to toe, cold, and exhausted, that he almost wanted to just give up, go back to his apartment, shower off, climb into bed with his wife, and sleep until noon. But one word, one simple word, was all he needed to keep going, and he muttered it over and over again like a mantra: "Nine… nine… Nine, Jo, nine…"

What he meant by "nine" was nine figure. As in a nine figure salary, which is what he received every year for making calls in phone booths at midnight… among other things. Things that were quite likely incredibly illegal, even if they were technically harmless.

"Nine… nine…" he muttered as he climbed into the booth, sliding the door shut behind him. The glass of the booth was foggy and cracked in a few places, and the thing reeked of chewed gum and freshly sprayed graffiti. For a moment, he almost wished he was back in the rain.

"Nine… nine…" He sighed and picked up the phone, deposited a small handful of change into the slot, and rapidly typed in the number that he had typed so many times before. That done, he placed the phone to his ear and waited.

As usual, his employer picked up on the third ring. "Yes?"

"Ma'am," the man greeted, "I have something to report."

"You'd better." His employer's voice was cold and irate – well, more cold and irate than usual, anyway. The man swallowed. He had obviously interrupted her in the middle of something. "I was just about to join my husband in bed."

"I-it's about the Pidgey, ma'am," the man stammered. "The Pidgey is leaving the nest."

Fortunately, that information seemed to be of some importance to his employer. He heard a sharp intake of breath, quiet but audible. "I see," she replied after a moment of silence. "And Mama Bird is going to let him?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Papa Bird, too?"

"Papa Bird is not present, but I believe he has given permission as well, ma'am."

"And Ugly Bird?"

"Him, too, ma'am."

"I see…" There was a long sigh on the other end. "Reason for leaving the nest?"

"A Pokémon Journey, ma'am."

"A Pokémon Journey…" she repeated. "And he's taking the worms?"

"Yes, ma'am. He'll be leaving tomorrow morning. Should I intercept?"

There was a growl. The man winced, knowing at once he had said the wrong thing. "Yes, you idiot," she snapped in a hissing voice, "intercept him. After all, people react so well to strange men commanding their children to stay in their homes when they're trying to see the world."

The man swallowed again. "S-sorry, ma'am. Terrible idea, ma'am. Won't happen again."

"It had better not." She sighed again. "Let the Pidgey fly, but keep track of him. Follow him."

"F-follow him?" The man gaped. "B-but, ma'am, he's going to compete in the Kanto League… I'd have to leave my apartment, my family, and my friends just to keep an eye on some… some kid?!"

He slapped a hand over his mouth the moment he was done speaking. That was the first time he had ever raised his voice at his employer. It was a dangerous thing to do, but what choice did he have? What she was proposing was ludicrous!

"Yes, Mr. Iwata. That is exactly what I want you to do." Her voice was as calm and cold as ever, showing no sign of extra irritation at his sudden outburst. "Of course, if you'd rather not do it, than I suppose you do not have to. The choice is all yours. You'll have to say goodbye to your salary, though…"

The man froze. He nearly dropped the phone.

"And I don't believe your daughter will be too happy when she learns that her father won't be able to put her through college anymore…" his employer continued. He could practically feel her smug smile through the phone. "And your wife won't be able to attend those aerobics classes… and that sports car you're still paying for… And you'll have to find a new job, though Lord knows that will be hard. I can't imagine that 'professional spy' will be taken seriously on your résumé."

The man snapped, "Alright! Alright! I get it!" He slammed his hand against the worn glass of the booth. "I'll… I'll tell Aya that I'm going on a business trip for a few months…" he muttered submissively.

"That's all I ask," his employer replied. "See to it that the Pidgey remains safe but do not interact with him if you can help it, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And get more pictures and video. I'd like to see what our little birdie is capable of in the Kanto League."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Your next paycheck will be transferred to your account by tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am."

"And Mr. Iwata?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Remember: I know where you live."

The line went dead, leaving poor Mr. Iwata standing there, in a cramped booth, soaked with rain and chilled to the bone, wondering how on earth he was going to break the news to his wife and daughter.

They would be unhappy to see him go… but at least they would be fed and pampered, just the way he intended to keep them.

He sighed and dropped the phone before stepping back out into the rain. "Nine… nine…" he began to chant again as he made his way home, wondering if there was a man alive who had a boss as awful as he did.

* * *

The Viridian Forest had been closed off from the rest of Kanto for months. Barbed wire and makeshift fences ran around the perimeter of the vast woodland, placed to keep humans out and the feared rabid Pokémon in. While, of course, the rabid Pokémon had found ways to escape beyond the feeble defenses, the police were quite confident that no humans, aside for a few idiot trainers who wanted to get their hands on a rare and powerful Pokémon, were getting into the forest.

Unfortunately, the ineptitude of the Viridian City Police Department had once again played right into the hands of the humans who lived in the Viridian Forest – humans who were responsible for the atrocities that the rabid Pokémon were committing.

Deep, deep within the Viridian Forest, far from the gravel paths that led through the woods, there was a bunker. No one could see it, as it was built deep underground, but the den of evil, despite its invisibility, did exist, and its tendrils were firmly implanted in the forest.

It sat deep beneath the earth, over fifty feet down, with dozens of elevators and shafts, disguised as hollow trees or stumps, as an entrance. The bunker was protected by a thick metal shell, over a foot thick, keeping the dirt and roots from intruding inside the base. Advanced machines pumped air and water into the base; food and supplies were sent via teleporters. A several gigawatt generator kept everything powered.

The base was a masterpiece of military tactics. Its construction had been kept absolutely secret due to the… legal complications of the research conducted inside. Despite the difficulty of getting it built, the bunker was a virtual tactical dream: completely invisible and almost entirely self-sufficient, giving those who operated it a safe place to hide, eat, sleep, and conduct illegal scientific experimentation of Pokémon.

There was a _lot_ of illegal scientific experimentation of Pokémon… and it was all headed by one man.

"Prepared for trouble?" the woman asked as she slid the manila envelope across the table.

The scientist swiftly seized the envelope and tore it open. "This is it?" he asked in a whisper, his tone neutral and cold but with a touch of eagerness to it as well.

His associate nodded once. "Yes. The Boss got you the data you requested, as he promised."

The scientist's thin hand opened the envelope and shuffled through the papers, murmuring to himself as he did. "The A.B.C…." he whispered, his bony fingers tracing across the paper. "Yes, yes, these is the instructions we need..." He looked up. "But to actually use them…"

His associate leaned forward and smirked, the dim light of the room gleaming on her ruby red lips. "The Boss knows, Dr. Grey. Proton found a lead on the parts you'll need to put it together. He's on his way to Pewter to… retrieve them. And as for me…" She folded one bare leg across the other. "I'll find the fossils."

Dr. Grey nodded. "And when can I expect the materials?" he asked, his tone completely neutral.

"Patience is a virtue, Dr. Grey," the woman chided. "You'll get it when we have it. Proton is already on his way from Cerulean to Pewter, and my team is preparing itself as we speak. You'll get your toys… provided that we get to reap the benefits," she added with a hissing snigger.

Dr. Grey stared silently at the woman, his pale blue eyes cold and hard. "Very well," he agreed after a moment of silence. "That was the deal, after all. Give me my tools… and you shall have your Fossil Pokémon."

"Excellent…" The woman's imperious smirk grew all the wider. "The Boss will be delighted," she said, getting up from her seat. "Proton will probably be back before I am, so once I return you can get started right away. Until then, you know what the Boss wants you to do."

The scientist nodded. "I've given orders to my underlings…" he began.

The woman paused. "Your underlings?" she asked with a sneer.

Dr. Grey swiftly corrected himself. Not out of fear of the woman, of course; he was afraid of her beloved Boss. "The Commander's underlings," he said quietly.

"That's better," the woman purred. "Continue."

"All future injections have been cancelled until further notice and all recently-infected Pokémon are being stored in the vault until they can be transported elsewhere," Dr. Grey continued. "Once Facility 2 is completely active, we'll be ready to move."

"Good boy." The woman nodded. "Finish packing up your things. I'll meet you at Facility 2 after I've accomplished my mission."

Grey nodded. "Understood, Ms. Mamushi*1."

Ms. Mamushi nodded and sauntered off, her heels clicking loudly on the metallic floor. "Good night, Doc," she called over her shoulder. "The next time we meet, it's monster-making time!"

The automatic doors slid open to allow Ms. Mamushi out before slamming shut once again, leaving Dr. Grey in the darkness. The scientist returned his attention to the blueprints before him, lifting them closer and adjusting his glasses so that he could see them more clearly in the dim light.

The device on the paper was a large test tube attached to a computer console, with tubes hanging down from the top of the tube. To most people, such a device looked like something out of science fiction. To those who knew what it was, however, it represented a fortune. There was only one problem: possessing an A.B.C. device earned you fifty years in prison in Kanto. He should know; the reason he was hiding in that ugly bunker was because he himself had been caught with one.

Despite himself, Dr. Grey gave a thin smile as he shuffled through the papers, keen eyes scanning every detail of the wonderful device. _No sacrifice,_ he thought, _is too large when it is made in the name of scientific advancement._

He folded the papers back into the envelope, switched off the tiny light, and walked off to finish packing. By the time the Viridian Police found Facility 1 – if they ever found it at all – he and his colleagues would be long gone by then. Of course, the chances of them finding it where quite miniscule. They would never suspect that there was a base hidden underneath the forest.

None of them would suspect anything… until it was far too late.

* * *

The granite fields that surrounded Pewter City were always quiet. At midnight, however, they were deathly silent.

A cold night breeze gently blew through the air without as much as a whisper. The stars were still obscured by dark and ugly clouds, though the rain had stopped pelting the little quarry town of Pewter City, passing along to Viridian City in the south. Everything was pitch black and silent as death.

Then, there was a sound: the sound of crunching gravel. There was one crunch, and then another crunch, and then another, one after the other.

It was the sound of footsteps.

Black boots gently walked across the fields of stone and sand. They were attached to a long pair of slender legs, which were attached to a woman's body, which was wrapped in red clothing.

A pair of reddish eyes stared across the dark fields, silently scanning for anything alive, any sign of life, whether it be a Pokémon or a human foolish enough to be out and about at this hour.

There was nothing. No humans. No Pokémon. Not even a rolling tumbleweed to emphasize the isolation of the environment. She was completely alone.

She nodded once. It was perfect.

Shouldering her bag, she walked off to find a good place to camp. Tomorrow, she would begin her… "training" again.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Another early update, albeit with good reason: tomorrow's going to be a busy Friday for me. A family friend is retiring, so I need to show up for the party. **

**Anyways, lots of intrigue and mystery in this chapter! Why has Jo Iwata's employer forced him to spy on Tony? Who is the mysterious Ms. Mamushi? Who is Dr. Grey? What are they planning? And what on earth does A.B.C. stand for?**

**Tune in again to find out! Next time we begin the Pewter Saga!**

* * *

**Culture Time!**

***1: Mamushi: Mamushi is actually the Japanese word for viper. It'll be a very fitting name for her later on.**

* * *

**Next Chapter… Pewter Saga: Chapter 1: Day of the 'Dex-Holders! **


	9. Day of the 'Dex-Holders!

**Pewter Saga: Chapter 1: Day of the 'Dex-Holders!**

* * *

It really was an ugly vest.

It was made with artificial leather (real leather had been outlawed years ago), colored navy blue and coated in a layer of several decades' worth of dust. The material was badly worn; one of the two breast pockets had been torn off, and the other one was missing its button.

To anyone else, it was trash. Junk. You couldn't even give that thing to the local thrift store without feeling guilty about it. It was a piece of garbage.

All Tony could do, as he held that ugly worn vest, was look up at his Pappy… and smile. "You mean it?" he asked.

Pappy snorted with feigned indignation. "Would I lie to you, boy?" he asked. He patted the vest fondly. "I'm tellin' the truth. My great-grandfather took this vest with him when he moved back to Kanto from Unova and he passed it down to my grandfather when he took to the sea on a fishing ship. He gave it to my father, who did the same, and he gave it to me." He wiped some of the dust off. "And as for me," he said, pride welling in his raspy voice, "I wore this vest when I competed, when I was your age, in the Kanto Pokémon League. I was wearing it when I walked into the headquarters of the league, and when I challenged the Elite Four."

Tony's jaw hung open with astonishment as he stared at his Pappy, then the vest, and then at his Pappy again. He had always known that his grand-uncle had once been a formidable trainer in his youth, but he had never said anything about _them._ "The Elite Four?" he asked quietly.

Pappy nodded. "Yup. Well, technically I only faced the Elite Two. I never made it past the second trainer. After that, I returned home for a rest and ended up joining the Navy, putting my days of Pokémon behind me…" He sighed wistfully, remembering the exciting adventures of his youth. "Those were the days…"

Tony's eyes returned to the vest once more. This ragged piece of clothing had actually seen the Elite Four – the four most powerful trainers in the Pokémon League, above even Gym Leaders like Giovanni. They were a mysterious organization whose identities were kept secret; trainers were forced to take a vow of silence before facing them, promising never to reveal the identities of the powerful quartet of guardians, the final gatekeepers who stood between trainers and the title of Pokémon League Champion.

To anyone else, it would seem that he was just holding an old vest. To Tony, however, it was like holding an important historical artifact, like a blade made by Masamune*1 himself or the long-lost crown of an ancient king.

"I know that it's not much," Pappy said at last, overcoming his nostalgia attack, "but it's been in the Miller family for generations, and I feel that you've earned it. You're the next generation of Miller, boy…"

"In name and spirit only," Tony murmured rather despondently.

"That's good enough!" Pappy retorted. "The point is, you're as much an heir as I could ask for, and it's up to you to wear this vest on your own adventures, and one day pass it on to your own kid."

"Thanks, Pappy," Tony said. "But, uh, why didn't you give it to Uncle Brad? I mean, he is your son…"

Pappy snorted. "I tried to. He bought his own vest. One with pockets."

"Oh." Tony gave a small smile. "Well, I've got plenty of pockets in my pants…"

Pappy split into a wide grin. "That's the spirit!" he declared. "You know, there's never been a Kanto League Champion who was from Pallet Town. Everyone here believes that you're the one who's gonna change that. Don't let us down!"

Tony stiffened but nodded. "Yes, sir," he said with a confident nod; internally, he was feeling quite nervous about the overbearing sense of pressure, but it was quickly forgotten, swallowed up by the dancing Butterfree in his stomach. The only thought going through his mind was, "I'm going on a Pokémon Journey!"

Aunt Sally had said yes that faithful morning three days ago. She had actually said yes! Heck, they had even called up Uncle Brad in Johto and he had said yes, too! Tony had known that Sally would allow him to go, having eavesdropped on the conversation, but it was still amazingly elating to have her word and blessing on his side. Auntie was notoriously paranoid amongst the Miller clan for her protective nature, so her actually saying yes still felt like a miracle.

Tony slid the dusty vest over his yellow t-shirt and patted it off, smoky clouds of grey poofing with each slap from his hands. "It fits," he said happily. In reality, it was a little too big for him, but he didn't mind.

"Of course it fits," Pappy replied. "Just make sure to keep the Gym Badges you win pinned to it. It'll let other trainers know to take you seriously and give you your space."

"Isn't that bragging, though?" Tony asked curiously.

"Well, it'll be somethin' worth braggin' about," Pappy said nonchalantly. "B'sides, you're a Miller; you're descended from Kalosian settlers and poor rice farmers. You deserve the right to brag just a little." He patted him on the back, earning another cloud of dust in response. "Do us proud, boy," he ordered.

Tony nodded and saluted, mimicking one of the sailors Pappy once commanded. "I won't let you down," he promised, hoping he could live up to the words that left his mouth.

Pappy returned the salute. "Atta boy," he congratulated. "Why, with your talent, I bet you'll have your first Gym Badge by sundown!"

Before Tony could respond to that little piece of encouragement, there was a brief knock on the door before Aunt Sally pushed her way inside, followed by Lucky and Spear, who both looked very satisfied and excited. "Oh," Sally said as she saw the vest on her nephew's torso. "That old vest." She wrinkled her nose. "I appreciate the gesture, Pappy," she told the old man, "but that's really going to need to be cleaned before he goes anywhere in it. It's filthy."

Pappy snorted and replied, "He's leaving for a Pokémon Journey, not a job interview. He's gonna get dirty one way or the other."

"It's okay, Auntie," Tony piped in. "I don't mind getting a little dusty."

Sally sighed. "Oh… alright." She shook her head and held up Tony's dark green backpack. "Well," she said, "I packed everything I know you'll need in here: portable rice cooker, canned food, Pokémon food, a first-aid kit, and a change of clothes."

Tony swiftly grabbed his backpack and pulled it over his back, the gear inside clinking as he did so. Backpacks, despite being much less glorious in appearance, were actually just as useful as Pokéballs were, shrinking down valuable supplies to more manageable sizes and keeping them secure in its waterproof shell. Another wonder of modern convenience in Kanto.

Tony grinned as he secured his straps, looking up at his Auntie. "Thanks," he told her gratefully. The pack on his back served as yet another reminder that the greatest adventure in his entire life was about to begin.

Sally forced a smile. "You're welcome," she told him quietly. Forcing herself to perk up a little, she added, "Lucky and Spear just finished their breakfasts. They're ready for the journey, too." She turned to the two happy Bug-types and said, "Now, you two had better keep a close eye on your trainer at all times, understand? I don't want him getting into any trouble!"

"Freeh," Lucky chirped confidently with a nod. You couldn't tell, but she was overjoyed that her trainer's aunt showed such confidence in her and her abilities. Spear, on the other hand, only shrugged, as if to say "I make no promises."

Tony nodded alongside his Butterfree. "I'll be fine," he promised. "I mean, the rabid Pokémon have only been showing up around this area, right? I won't be able to find any if I wanted to once I get past Pewter City."

Sally frowned. "That's not the only kind of trouble, Tony," she told him sternly. "There aren't just dangerous Pokémon. There are dangerous humans, too."

"But, Auntie, I don't talk to strangers…" Tony began.

"But you will," Sally interrupted. "If you want to compete in the Kanto League, you need all eight Gym Badges, right? Well, you'll need to speak to the Gym Leaders, then, none of whom you know, and just because someone is a Gym Leader doesn't mean that he or she is of high moral fiber. If they try to coerce you into doing anything – _anything_ – that you know is wrong, I want you to say no regardless of whether or not you get a Gym Badge or not, understand?"

Tony winced a little at her tone but slowly nodded. "I know, Auntie…" he began.

"And stay away from anyone who makes you uncomfortable!" Aunt Sally added. "I've heard that the crime rates in Cerulean City have been escalating lately, so try to avoid going there if you can help it."

"What," Pappy broke in, "you think they'd mug him?" He gave a raspy chuckle. "Why, Lucky and Spear'll keep any punks he comes across at bay. I've never met a sorry thug dumb enough to charge a kid with a Beedrill."

"Bzzz!" Spear buzzed in agreement, pumping a spear in the air.

Sally sighed, a small tone of irritation prevalent in her voice. "I'm not just worried about muggers, I'm worried that they might try to recruit him!" she explained.

"Recruit me?" Tony asked in a disbelieving voice. "B-but I'm… Well, look at me," he exclaimed, gesturing to himself. At four foot nine and with such a youthful appearance, no one would peg Tony Miller as being criminal material; he looked too small and too harmless for most criminals to consider potential gang material; that's what he thought, at least.

Aunt Sally, however, saw things differently, albeit not illogically. "Just because you don't look threatening doesn't mean you're not dangerous. You're a very skilled Pokémon Trainer, Tony, and I'm very proud of you, but there are some people who would want to take advantage of your kind of talent…"

Tony turned red out of both embarrassment and pride; whilst he felt rather sheepish about the level of worry Aunt Sally was showing, he also was glad that she thought he was skilled enough to attract the attention of those who wanted to misuse him and his Pokémon.

Fortunately, Pappy came to his defense. "Don't be so paranoid," he told his daughter-in-law. "Tony'll be fine. He needs to do this." He gave Sally a warning look. The glare's meaning was clear: "You are not going to keep this boy in this house. He is leaving!"

Sally sighed and slowly nodded. "R-right, right," she agreed. She put her hands on her nephew's shoulders and said, "Just… promise to be careful, alright? And…" Her voice went low. "Stay away from Celadon City, if you can. She who shall not be named is there."

Tony's expression became rather grim. "I… I understand. Yes, ma'am."

Fortunately, Pappy brightened the situation for both nephew and aunt. "Well, then," he declared, "what are you waiting for, boy? It's time for you to go. Professor Oak wanted to see you before you leave town, so be sure to stop by his place. He said he has a present for you."

Tony perked up at the mention of a present. "Really? For me?" he asked eagerly.

"That's right," Aunt Sally confirmed with a nod. "So… I suppose you'd better leave, then…"

Tony didn't hesitate. He swiftly wrapped up his Auntie in a soft and warm hug. She swiftly returned it, sniffling. "L-look at me," Sally murmured. "I promised that I wouldn't cry, but…"

"It's okay," Tony whispered back. "I won't be gone forever."

Sally nodded. "Call me every night that you can," she ordered.

"I will."

"And remember to stay safe, go to church, and eat three meals a day."

"Got it."

"And…" Sally sighed. "I'll… I'll stop stalling. Go. Go on your adventure. Just remember us and remember that no matter what happens, you can always come back to see us."

"I will," Tony promised, trying not to tear up himself. "I promise."

After a very long hug, Sally finally released her nephew so that he could bid farewell to his grand-uncle. "Take care of Aunt Sally for me while I'm gone, okay, Pappy?"

Pappy gave a toothy grin. "I will. Don't worry about us; focus on your trainin'. It's a long, hard trip to the Kanto League, boy. I've lost count of all the people I've seen crack under the pressure. But you've got the skills and you've got the right Pokémon for the job. I know you won't let us down."

Tony smiled confidently. "Don't worry. I won't." He turned to Lucky and Spear. "You ready?" he asked excitedly.

"Freeh!" Lucky chirped with a nod.

"Bzzz," agreed Spear, pumping a stinger in the air.

"Great!" Tony made sure his backpack was secured firmly to his body. "It's time to go, then!" he said happily. "Bye, Auntie! Bye, Pappy! I'll see you soon!" he shouted as he quickly ran out from his bedroom to the hall, making his way to the door to the Miller household.

"Bye…" Sally called weakly after him, watching as the nephew she cared for like her own child ran from their home to embark on his great adventure.

Pappy patted her on the back. "He has to do this," he reminded her.

Sally sighed as she sat down on the edge of Tony's bed. "I know… but that doesn't mean I won't miss him…" She looked up at her father-in-law with damp eyes. "Do you think he'll be safe?"

Pappy sat down beside her. "Please," he snorted, "this is Tony we're talkin' about, isn't it? There are no rabid Pokémon beyond the Viridian Forest for him to run into. I mean, what's the worst that can happen to him?"

Sally forced a smile. "Right, right," she forced herself to agree. "Nothing bad is going to happen to him. He'll be perfectly safe."

And with those words, Aunt Sally stood up and went off to get started on her day – unaware of just how badly she had just jinxed her beloved nephew.

* * *

The walk outside of the Miller house felt longer to Tony than it actually was.

Mere seconds ago, the bug catcher had been overjoyed that his days would no longer be spent in Pallet Town, that he was going to be free to roam about the region, meet new Pokémon, and compete in the famed Kanto League.

Now, however, as he walked down the hallway that led to the door, his adventurous spirit and wanderlust were quelled as his icy eyes fell upon the multiple photographs that lined the walls, each wooden frame containing a precious memory.

There he was, seven years-old, on that old rusty bike that had belonged to Pappy when he was a boy, riding clumsily down the dirt road as his Auntie steadied him. Next to it was him at his eighth birthday, happily cuddling Spear when he had just been a worm-like Weedle. Then there he was when he was ten, playing in the river on that old raft with Lucky and Spear, both in their cocoon stages. Then there he was again, this time with the first robot model he had made, which he proudly displayed like a trophy.

A sudden sense of guilt gripped his heart. This little house… this little town… He had spent the last three days… no, the last few months wanting to get out of this place, but now that he actually paused and looked around…

Tony sighed. He was really, really going to miss this old place. A part of him wanted to stay…

…Nah!

Shaking off his nostalgia attack, Tony tore open the door and made his way outside, Lucky and Spear quickly following him. Shutting the door behind him, Tony grinned and said, "Let's go!" to the two Bug-types.

"Freeh!"

"Bzz!"

They didn't waste any time. Tony shot forward, his new waterproofed brown boots slapping against the walkway as he ran down the path, passing his Auntie's garden and the pristine green lawn of his home, Lucky and Spear fluttering and buzzing behind him, just as eager to leave Pallet Town as their trainer was. The world was their Cloyster now, and they were all ready to explore every inch of it that they could.

But first, there was one more thing that they had to take care of before they left: Professor Oak.

* * *

"Alright, now, open wide!"

"Bulba!"

Professor Oak slowly moved the dentist mirror into the frog-like creature's gaping jaws, tilting the shaft and examining the inside of its mouth with a little flashlight. "Well, well!" he exclaimed happily. "No signs of plaque or decay!" He withdrew the mirror and light and placed them on a steel tray that sat on his desk, covered with various other medical supplies. Seizing the clipboard that was lying next to it, he checked the final item, healthy teeth and mouth, off of the list. "And we're done. Good job, Bulb…" He looked down at the creature, whose jaws were still wide open. "Eh, you can close your mouth, now…" the Pokémon Professor chuckled.

"Bulba!" the Pokémon replied, grinning up at the old human. He was a small bluish-green creature, frog-like in shape but covered in scales. Its eyes were large, scarlet, and shining, and its four legs were all short and stubby. Perhaps the most noticeable feature, however, was the large green plant bulb that stuck out of its back. The creature was called a Bulbasaur, a Grass/Poison-type Pokémon that – alongside Charmander and one another – was one of the most popular choices for beginning Pokémon Trainers, often referred to as a Starter Pokémon.

Professor Oak returned the grinning Bulbasaur back to his Pokéball. The Seed Pokémon had good reason to smile so widely that day; soon, he would be meeting his own Pokémon Trainer, a young lady who Professor Oak had spoken quite highly of. It seems that even young Pokémon such as he could be just as eager to go on grand adventures as trainers were.

As Oak returned the Pokéball to its tray, placing it next to a second capture device with a Pokémon he had checked on recently, he looked up and smiled at his granddaughter. "That should do it," he told Daisy. "Just to be sure, though, run them through the healing machine. I want them to be perfect for when their new trainers pick them up."

Daisy nodded. "Yes, Grandpa," she said obediently, walking off to the healing machine in the back with the tray.

Oak grinned all the wider as she walked off. He loved days like that day. There was nothing that made him smile wider than the simplest but most rewarding part of his job as Pokémon Professor: giving trainers Starter Pokémon and sage advice before they began their Pokémon Journeys and today was no exception, even though the Pokémon Trainers he would be sending off were far from unexperienced beginners.

He checked his watch. It read 9:50 A.M. _Hmm…_ he thought. _I told them to come at about ten… They'll be here in a few minutes_. He started to stand up. _I'd better practice my speech…_

The video phone on his mahogany desk began to ring, bringing an end to that notion. Oak swiftly picked the phone up and switched the screen on. After a few seconds of static, the image finally focused and became clear, revealing a familiar young woman on the other end.

She was pretty but quite disheveled; she'd be radiant if she bothered to perform more than the bare minimum of grooming. Her hazel-colored hair was messy. Her skin was incredibly pale due to consistently remaining indoors and in the dark. Her dark jade eyes were covered by a pair of large glasses, held together by a piece of tape, and her plain white t-shirt had a visible coffee stain on the chest.

She looked like a lay-about, couch potato, stay at home slob, but she wasn't... Well, she was, really, but making the mistake of underestimating her would be foolish. She was brilliantly intelligent, far smarter than anyone of her age that Oak had come across. She knew this and she was proud of it. Probably a little too proud.

Okay, definitely a little too proud.

Her name was Hickory – Agatha Hickory. Hailing from southern Unova, she was a brilliant student who had been privileged enough to attend the legendary Driftveil Academy, a Pokémon school reserved for the very intelligent and very rich. Being from a farming family, Agatha was the former rather than the latter. Tragically, due to reasons she was reluctant to explain, Agatha had left Driftveil Academy before her semester was up and went to work as a freelance inventor, which, of course, did not exactly pay the bills. When Oak had met her, during his third visit to Unova, she had been even more ragged in appearance and desperate to get his attention, even waiting outside of his hotel room for nine hours in order to speak to him.

When she did speak to him, however, Oak had been blown away by just how intelligent she actually was. She proposed an invention, one that he himself had wanted to make since boyhood, but with a more modern spin, one that she was prepared to help him create. Oak had accepted and entered into a rather unusual relationship with the young Unovan.

Despite his caller's rather informal and unclean appearance, Oak smiled politely as usual. "Ms. Hickory!" he greeted, switching to the woman's native language of Unovan. "I was expecting a call from you. How are you?"

Agatha Hickory nodded once, the shadows of her dark apartment briefly obscuring her face as she tilted her head. "I am fine, Professor," she said in monotone Unovan, her voice containing not an ounce of emotion whatsoever. "I'm just calling in to check in on the progress of our little joint project."

"Oh, you mean the Pokédex?" Oak asked.

Agatha's lips broke into a small scowl. "Shh!" she hissed. "Call it 'the project!' Someone might be listening in…"

Oak looked up briefly so that Agatha didn't see him roll his eyes at her paranoia. "The _project_," he said, "is going wonderfully. The parts you sent me arrived a few days ago and I've implemented them into the finished product." He smiled again. "The basic tests have all succeeded and your Hickory-Dex addition has proven to function perfectly."

Agatha briefly smiled but quickly hid it. "Was there ever any doubt?" she asked.

"Of course not," Oak lied. "All that remains now is the field testing, which will be beginning this very morning. The beta testers are on their way as we speak."

Agatha's frown returned. "Beta testers?" she asked suspiciously. "You've… done background checks on them, yes?"

Oak frowned, too. "Ms. Hickory, no one is trying to steal the Pok…" Noting Agatha's widening frown, he coughed and corrected, "The project."

"How do you know?" Agatha asked. "The project is one of the most useful things ever invented. Someone could steal it, copy it, and patent it before we do."

Oak sighed. "Alright, then, fine. Someone could very well try to steal the device. However, I have chosen these beta-testers by hand. I know them all very well. They are quite young, yes, but they are of the highest moral fiber and are all quite intelligent."

"Is that right?" Agatha asked. Her tone held a combination of curiosity and incredulousness.

"Indeed!" Oak insisted. "The first is Nicole Rogers, a girl from your own region who moved here with her parents to study under me. She's smart as a whip – reminds me a bit of you." Actually, Nicole reminded Oak nothing of Agatha, but he felt stroking her ego would make convincing her that his choices for the beta testers were good ones.

Whether or not Agatha bought it, he didn't know. She just said, "Go on."

"Next is a young man I met recently, Tony Miller, but I feel as though I've known him a long time already!" Oak continued. "He's proven to have amazing compassion and skill in Pokémon battles. You'll remember I mentioned the rabid Pokémon attacks in Viridian City and Pallet Town?"

"Yes."

"Well, Mr. Miller has been holding off the Pokémon who've been attacking Pallet Town for months – without the aid of any other trainers."

Agatha nodded. "Good, good… He might have some potential, then. Any others?"

"There's one more," Oak finished proudly, "and I've saved the best for last: one of my own grandchildren!"

"Really?" Agatha perked up. "You mean Daisy? Well, that isn't a bad choice…"

Oak sweat-dropped. "Actually, I meant Blue…"

Agatha nearly fell off of her chair. "W-wha…?"

Oak went on as if he hadn't been interrupted at all. "He's a little reckless, yes, but he's smart enough to learn from his mistakes and improve with both his losses and his victories. He's attended the famous Pokémon Tech and was taught by Headmistress Lorelei herself, and…"

"And then he blew a hole in the roof of the auditorium after he 'borrowed' the school's mascot Gyarados for a practice session with his friends," Agatha finished grimly, folding her arms.

Oak sweat-dropped. "Well, that was an isolated incident…"

"I know your grandson. I've met your grandson." Agatha sniffed. "I realize that he's family to you, Professor, but I do not want my contributions in his hands! He could lose it or break it… and it took me three months of saving to get enough money to buy them! I went without washing my clothes and ate nothing but boxed TV dinners for two months to pay for those parts!"

_A problem that you wouldn't have,_ Oak thought grimly, _if you weren't so prideful and allowed me to fund your research… _

"I'm sorry, Professor," Agatha said, "but the thought of letting… _him_ use my invention…"

"_Our _invention," Oak corrected.

"I am not comfortable with this idea, Professor," Agatha finished, feeling rather annoyed at being interrupted.

Oak folded his arms, closed his eyes, and sighed, feeling quite frustrated. Opening his eyes again, he said, "Blue's grown a lot since he left Pokémon Tech. Yes, I'll be the first to admit that he's not perfect. However, I firmly and honestly believe, as an intellectual and his grandfather, that his positives greatly outweigh his negatives.

"Blue is reckless," he continued, "or at least that's what Headmistress Lorelei told me. However, his recklessness, his willingness to put himself in a losing battle, is deeper than most would realize. Blue wants to be the best and he trains hard to reach that goal, and if that means putting himself at the mercy of a stronger opponent he will do it, if only to find someone to strive to beat.

"Furthermore," the Pokémon Professor concluded, giving the speechless Unovan a firm glare, "Blue remains my grandson and one of my heirs. Daisy loves Pokémon, but her interests are purely scientific and she has little skill or patience when it comes to battling, something that is required for the beta testing. Blue is the perfect choice for one of the beta testers, and I have no doubt that he will grow into a stronger trainer and person with the experience he gains from the testing!"

Agatha's mouth opened and closed several times, flapping uselessly as she tried to form a coherent response or argument to counteract Oak's.

"And besides," Oak added before the Unovan woman could speak, "I don't think you of all people should be criticizing anyone for being expelled from an esteemed academy."

"T-that was different…" Agatha protested. "I left by my own volition!"

"After your Hickory-Dex Mark 1 blew up in the auditorium and humiliated _you_ in front of the Unova League Officials," Oak replied casually, secretly delighting in just how red Agatha turned when he brought up her most embarrassing memory. "And for the record, Headmistress Lorelei asked Blue to return to Pokémon Tech, and he refused to do so."

"H-he did?"

"Yes." Oak furrowed his brows. "He did so because he felt that there was nothing left for the academy to teach him. He wants to learn about Pokémon by battling and capturing them, not by shoving his nose into books and reading."

There was a long, long silence before Agatha broke it with a sigh. "I'm… I'm…" She scowled as she tried to say the dreadful words. "I'm… sorry…. I was… wrong…" She sighed again, feeling humiliated. "Blue will make a… suitable beta tester, alongside the others," she added, returning to her monotone to save face.

Oak smiled. "Thank you," he said with a nod. "I'm glad you think so."

"Just…" Agatha added, "make sure he reads the manual I sent…"

"He will," Oak replied.

Agatha nodded. "Good, good," she said. "I mean, excellent work, Professor. Your choices will be adequate for the project."

"I'm glad that you think so," Oak replied. "I'm sending them all off for their Pokémon Journeys in a few minutes, and they'll each be briefed on how to handle the device carefully. I'll have a report for you by next Friday."

"Thank you. I'll be waiting." Agatha nodded. "Before I forget, I just called you to let you know that I've already begun working on the update."

"So soon?" Oak asked, surprised.

"I've already finished coding the information on the Johto Pokémon," Agatha continued as if she hadn't been interrupted, "and I'll begin to work on the next set tomorrow morning."

Oak nodded. "Well," he said, quite impressed, "you certainly work fast!"

"I'd work faster if I had something to eat," Agatha muttered morosely. "But I can't eat until I have dishes… and I can't do that," she declared, raising her voice so that anyone in her apartment could hear her, "until a certain _someone_ does his dishes!"

"I already told you, Aggy, those dishes are yours! It's your turn!" a shrill male voice shouted from the background.

"Do not start with me, Simon!" Agatha shouted back.

Professor Oak sweat-dropped. "Eh, I'll let you get to that, Ms. Hickory," he said. "Goodbye." Without giving Agatha a chance to respond, he switched the phone off and leaned back into his seat. "Cute couple…" he muttered, having forgotten about Agatha's rather stormy relationship with her boyfriend, a street magician/school janitor named Simon.

"Grandpa?" Daisy called as she walked back into the room with the trey in her hands. "I did as you asked. These Pokémon are perfectly healthy!"

Oak's smile returned as he rose from his seat. "Excellent," he said, rubbing his hands together.

"And I just looked out the window," Daisy added, "and I saw our guests. They're on their way to the door right now." As if to emphasize her point, the doorbell chose this moment to ring, announcing the arrival of their visitors.

"Very good," Oak chuckled. "Call down your brother, will you?" he asked, taking the trey from his granddaughter, "and open up the door for Mr. Miller and Ms. Rogers. It's time we got this show on the road!"

Daisy grinned. "Yes, Grandpa!"

* * *

Professor Oak's laboratory was kept separate from his actual house. Asides from the fact that his house was too small to contain the large and expensive equipment needed for his research, Daisy felt that giving her grandfather a healthy walk everyday would help keep him fit and prevent him from spending each and every day cooped up in his lab and getting flabby.

The lab, which was located towards the south of Pallet Town, near Lake Easel, was a large barn-shaped building with white walls and a red, curved roof. There was a small windmill attached to a small tower on the top, spinning lazily in the warm summer breeze. It was set on the top of a small hill, with a simple stone staircase, lined with shrubs at each side, leading to the scarlet front door.

It was a simple and homey-looking building, the sort Tony was used to seeing in Pallet Town. In fact, it was difficult to tell that it was a laboratory at all. Perhaps that was intentional; after all, Pallet Town was far away from just about every other civilization in Kanto. Perhaps Oak valued privacy, something a celebrity like him could rarely enjoy.

Regardless, Tony wasn't there to admire architecture or theorize about the personal lives of Pokéologists. He was there to get his present so that he could finally get out of Pallet Town.

He was just about to begin the climb up the stairs when a voice brought him and his bugs to a halt. It was Nicole's voice. In mere seconds, the Unovan girl was upon him, still wearing her old school uniform, with her loyal Vaporeon Atlanta at her side as always.

"G-good morning," Nicole gasped, slightly out of breath after her run. She wiped a drop of sweat from her brow.

Tony gave a small and polite smile. "Oh, hey," he greeted quietly. "You're here."

"Y-yeah," Nicole replied. "S-sorry you missed me the other day. I was… in the bathroom when that Magmar attacked, so I couldn't help!" she lied, forcing a smile and a shrug.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't hear the screaming?" he asked; the Viridian citizenry hadn't exactly been quiet in the face of their imminent deaths.

"Well, they play music in the bathrooms, obviously," Nicole scoffed. "Uh, anyways, why did Professor Oak ask you to come here, anyway?" she asked, quickly changing subject. She had a sinking feeling that Tony wouldn't appreciate finding out that she had been hiding in a pile of canned fruit the moment she caught wind of the Magmar's assault.

Tony leaned over to pet Atlanta, the Vaporeon mewling happily as the human scratched behind her ears. "He told my Auntie that he has something for me," the blond explained to the Unovan girl. "I don't know what it is, but apparently it'll help me on my journey."

"Yeah," Nicole said with a nod, "the Professor mentioned that. Your Aunt's finally going to let you go, eh?"

"She is!" Tony giggled happily, standing back up. "But… why are you here, Nicole?" he asked suddenly. "I mean, it's not like you've really got a reason to stick around…" He paused and then asked in a quiet voice, "You're, uh, not sticking around for Blue are you?"

Nicole couldn't stop herself from bursting out laughing but she managed to suppress it down to an amused chuckle. "A-as if! Professor Oak, uh…" she stuttered, "well, he wanted to see me. He said he had something to give me, too."

Tony looked up. "Really?" he asked, surprised.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah. Do you know what he's up to?"

The Kantonian shook his head. "Not really. He just said he has something for me. I haven't seen him since that day we went on that errand; I guess he was busy putting whatever it is together or something." He shrugged.

Nicole's eyes turned to the lab. "What's he up to…?" she murmured absentmindedly. "I knew he was kind of eccentric, but…"

Tony looked up. "What was that?"

"N-noting," Nicole lied. "I was just thinking aloud… Eh…"

Mercifully, Daisy chose that moment to open the door and call down to the two. "Tony! Nicole! Hi!" she cried cheerily. "Grandpa is waiting for you in here! Come on up!"

"W-we're coming!" Nicole shouted back. "Come on, Tony, let's not keep them waiting!" she said, quickly ascending the steps. She took off so fast that it took Atlanta a few seconds to decipher that she had. The Vaporeon yelped as she launched after her trainer, following her up the stairs to the waiting Daisy.

Tony blinked, surprised. Nicole seemed pretty nervous there for a second. Was something wrong? Maybe he should have asked…

He shook it off. Nah. Socializing was hard enough for him already; there was no way he was going to ask a girl who was still technically a stranger if something was bothering her. She might have had a serious emotional problem that she needed help with and Tony, frankly, had enough emotional problems of his own.

Making sure Lucky and Spear were following him, he made his way up the stairs to Daisy and Nicole.

* * *

"Welcome, young trainers, to my lab! My name is Professor Oak, but most people call me the Pokémon Prof-!"

"Gramps, we all know who you are. You don't need to introduce yourself again."

"Blue, I worked all night on this speech and you are going to indulge me!"

Professor Oak's laboratory was far messier than his house, which was quite remarkable given the fact that the lab was only completed two days ago and the equipment was moved in the day before. Bookshelves lined the walls, stuffed with books and papers spilling out everywhere. Large machines of undefinable origin and purpose were piled in the corners, panels hanging open with wires and circuitry exposed and hanging out. The desk was covered with papers, folders, crumb-covered napkins, and coffee mugs.

Despite the mess surrounding him, the Pokémon Professor stood tall and proud amidst his unfitting surroundings. His arms were folded behind his back and he had an encouraging and wise smile on his face. His white lab coat was freshly washed and the salmon collared shirt and tan pants he wore beneath it were pressed and cleaned to perfection. He looked as if he was giving an important speech at a scientific meeting rather than giving three kids an undefined present and sending off to their new lives of adventure and homelessness.

"As I was saying," the Professor continued, "welcome to my laboratory! My name is Professor Samuel Oak. Many people call me the Pokémon Professor. I'm a well-travelled individual, I speak three languages, I've worked with hundreds of the world's brightest and best minds, and I have a radio show that I record for every Saturday."

"He's also single, ladies," Blue announced.

Oak ignored the snarky comment from his grandson and kept focused on the task at hand. "Today," he said, "you three will be embarking on what may very well be the most important Pokémon Journey in the history of the world! I have personally selected the three of you for this crucial experiment for your talents, intelligence, and potential."

Said three trainers were lined up in front of the Professor: Tony Miller, Bug-type fanatic and local hero; Nicole Rogers, the Unovan Mistress of Mystery; and Blue Oak, grandson of one of the world's most famous scientific minds. All three were standing straight and tall, patiently listening to the words of the Professor, knowing that he would reveal the purpose of this meeting when he was ready to do so.

"All three of you," Professor Oak continued, "are some of the brightest young people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I have no doubt that you are all going to accomplish great things on your Pokémon Journeys."

Nicole blinked, surprised. Since when was _she _going on a Pokémon Journey?

"Each of you has been chosen for your own specific skills and accomplishments, whether that be a remarkable talent for battling…" he looked at Tony, who blushed and smiled silently, "an ability to get stronger with losses and victories alike…" he looked at his grandson, who grinned cheekily, "or a brilliant mind and a need to make a living." He gave a knowing glance to Nicole, who looked away slightly to hide the suspicion and confusion in her eyes.

"Now, I know that I may seem like just a rambling old man at the moment," Oak continued, "but please, bear with me for a moment, as I take you back to my youth…"

Blue groaned aloud. "Oh, no…" he groaned, "please not the story about the Kabuto fossil…"

Ignoring him, Oak began: "When I was but a lad, I was fascinated by the mysterious and wonders of Pokémon, which was sparked, as Blue said, when I went to the small museum in my hometown and found myself completely obsessed with a small fossil of a Kabuto, a prehistoric Pokémon that was extinct until 1987, when cloning Pokémon was legalized. Whilst it is not outlawed…" he looked down and sighed, "and for good reason, mind you, a few Kabuto do exist today and…"

"Gramps, you're rambling."

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Blue. Ahem. As I was saying, I was completely fascinated by the Kabuto fossil and I wanted to know more about it, which quickly grew into an insatiable curiosity for all Pokémon everywhere. I wanted to know about them so I went on a Pokémon Journey of my own." He grinned. "I was quite the trainer, believe it or not."

"Gramps…"

"Er, right. Rambling again. Sorry!" Oak chuckled, glad that Blue was keeping the exposition on track.

Tony, on the other hand, was quite irked with the redhead's interruptions. He, personally, would have loved to hear about the past exploits of Professor Oak, and all of the tales of the Pokémon League from over fifty years ago.

Oak cleared his throat again. "Now," he said, "I was a very skilled trainer in my own right, but I never found the answers I was looking for by battling. I turned to researching the biology of Pokémon. I lost a few friends, yes… but I found many more wonderful associates and my passion for Pokéology was finally realized. But that wasn't enough! I wanted to find a way to make my knowledge more accessible to the world! So I…"

"Grandpa," Daisy called, poking her head into the lab, "don't bore the guests, please. Just give them their Pokédexes."

Tony blinked. "Poké-what now?"

Oak sighed. "Way to ruin the sense of surprise and tension, Daisy…"

Daisy folded her arms and stepped into the lab, her lab coat swaying behind her. "You don't have the time to tell them your life's story, Grandpa," she reminded him. "You've got a phone meeting with Professor Juniper in ten minutes, remember?"

"I remember…" Oak sighed. "Alright, fine," he said, turning back to the trio of trainers. "Here's the short version: I wanted to make an invention that would allow trainers to instantly pull up any information needed to deal with a Pokémon, sort of like a portable encyclopedia that wouldn't require any page-flipping. I worked on it for years until I met a smart young lady from Unova, one Ms. Agatha Hickory, who proposed a portable computer. It took us a few years of working together – neither one of us are programmers – but we did it!" He gestured to Daisy. "Daisy, if you will…"

Daisy nodded and walked over to the table, picking up a metallic tray and holding it out to the trio. "Here they are!" she announced.

Sitting on the tray, lying in a row, were three small devices. They were rectangular in shape, and colored red, blue, and green.

Daisy picked up the first Pokédex, the red one, and held it up. She clicked a small button and a panel flipped open horizontally, giving the device the appearance of some sort of futuristic plastic book. She then turned the device to display its "pages," which in reality consisted of a screen and two small keypads with buttons on them.

"This," she introduced, "is the Pokédex. It's Grandpa's invention, which Ms. Hickory and many other scientists and aides, myself included, helped to make. It's a high-tech encyclopedia of every Pokémon native to the Kanto Region. You just point and click…" She aimed the device at Lucky, holding and clicked one of the buttons with her thumb.

The green lens on the front of the 'dex flashed once, surprising the Butterfree, who flitted behind her trainer nervously and rubbed her eyes. "Freeh," she muttered irately.

Before anyone could say anything else, the Pokédex gave a merry-sounding ring and announced, in a monotone female voice, _"Butterfree, the Butterfly Poké__mon. A Bug/Flying-type. Average Height: 3'07. Average Weight: 71 lbs. In battle, it flaps its wings at high speeds to release highly toxic dust into the air. This specimen's gender is female, and its size suggests that it is roughly nine years old. Its special is Compound Eyes. Its power level is 14."_

Everyone jumped at the entirely unexpected sound. Tony was especially surprised. "T-that's right!" he exclaimed. "I met Lucky nine years ago… B-but what is that 'level' thing it was talking about?"

"Like it said, your Pokémon's power level," Oak replied. "The levels range from one to one-hundred, and can be determined by scanning a Pokémon's physical traits and aura. It's really quite complicated, so I won't bore you with too many details, but basically it means you now have a way to determine how strong or weak a Pokémon is and compare it to your own Pokémon's level, enabling you to pick your fights a little more carefully."

"The Pokédex also is capable of recording the information gathered and storing it permanently in its memory, allowing easy access to the wealth of knowledge that it holds," Professor Oak boasted as he took the scarlet device from his granddaughter's hand and placed it into Tony's. "This remarkable little gizmo," he said, "was completed using the parts you all brought me the other day. It's thanks to you three that I was able to finish it, so I feel it's only fair that I allow you all to be my lucky beta testers!"

"Beta testers?" Tony asked.

"Indeed!" Professor Oak nodded. "That's why I called you here today. I wanted to give you three Pokédexes to take on your journeys across Kanto. If you catch Pokémon and add them to your Pokédexes, you'll be able to fill them up with valuable information and prove that they are functional and convenient. Once you've proven this, return them to me and I'll show them to the Pokémon League. With any luck, one day every young trainer will have the privilege to take a Pokédex with them when they go on their adventures, ensuring that their travels are much safer."

Blue took the blue Pokédex from the tray, eying the small device. "So, this is what you've been working on…" he muttered. A grin split across his face. "Well, I guess it's pretty cool. Thanks, Gramps."

"Thank you, Professor Oak," Tony said humbly as he stared down at his own Pokédex, amazed that he was lucky enough to have permission to go on his own journey as well as being among the first trainers, the elite, to have the privilege to test such an important device. "I'll… I'll be sure to use it carefully!"

"I'm certain you will," Oak replied with a smile. "But don't let this little test interfere with your own goals and dreams. I understand that both you and Blue would like a shot at the Pokémon League?"

Tony nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Then let that be your first priority," Oak advised. "Just be sure to use your Pokédex as much as possible. Don't worry, I've already contacted the Pokémon League H.Q. and explained the purpose of the devices. They know that you three will have them and they've sent messages to every Pokémon Gym in Kanto giving you special permission to use them in Gym Battles if you choose to do so. Just keep the Pokédex in mind and be sure to capture as many Pokémon as you can and gather data of them with it."

"Umm…" Nicole spoke up as she picked up the green 'dex. "I'm not really that interested in competing in the Kanto League, sir," she said.

"I figured as much," Oak replied with a nod. He knew that Nicole would have little desire to try; winners tended to draw a lot of attention to themselves, and the poor Unovan girl already stuck out enough as things were. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Nicole nodded back. "So, I, uh," she stuttered, "I guess that I can try to catch the Pokémon for the Pokédex. If it will help my get a job later on…"

"Ms. Nicole," Oak interrupted, "if you can succeed in filling the Pokédex for me, I will _personally_ hire you as one of my aides."

Nicole looked up, surprised. "R-really?" she asked. Whilst being Professor Oak's assistant wasn't exactly her dream career, it was still a job and a way to feed herself without having to go crawling back to her family.

"Of course!" Oak confirmed. "After all, such a task is quite monumental. There are one-hundred and fifty Pokémon confirmed to live in the Kanto Region…"

"Technically, four of those have yet to be officially catalogued, so officially there's only one-hundred and forty-six," Daisy interrupted.

Oak rolled his eyes. "Okay, apparently my hard-earned photographic evidence proving the existence of the Legendary…"

"Gramps, you're rambling again," Blue broke in.

"R-right." Oak sighed. "Anyways, quick version: those are Pokédexes, they're yours, don't break them, use them in good health," he said as quickly as possible; so quickly, in fact, that it took everyone a few seconds to register what he had said. "Quick enough for you, Blue?" the old man asked his grandson.

Blue, who had only just put together what Oak had said, nodded slowly. "That's good, yeah."

"Thank you, Professor Oak!" Tony and Nicole chimed politely, bowing their heads as they held their precious Pokédexes in their hands.

"Think nothing of it," Oak replied with a friendly smile. "Just remember to use them and enjoy yourselves. The greatest adventures of your young lives are about to begin! But first," he said suddenly, surprising everyone, "there's one more thing I wanted to give you two," he said to Tony and Nicole.

Tony blinked. "There's something else?"

"Professor," Nicole said, "you've already given us so much. We couldn't…"

Oak raised his hand. "I gave you the Pokédexes because I know you three are smart and skilled enough to put them to good use and test them to the extent of their abilities. What I want to give you two now," he said with a smile, "are presents. I understand I missed your last birthday, Mr. Miller," he told Tony, "and after your near-death experience the other day, Ms. Rogers, I think a little gift might help raise your spirits a little more."

Tony turned red. "T-thank you, sir."

"No need to thank me," Oak replied with a chuckle. "I'm happy to help. Daisy, the Pokéballs, if you'd please."

Daisy picked up yet another tray and held it out to her grandfather. Sitting on the tray were two round and shiny Pokéballs, gleaming brightly in the morning sunlight.

Tony felt his heart beat faster, adrenaline rushing through his veins. A Pokéball usually meant a Pokémon.

"Nicole," Oak said as he picked up the first Pokéball and handed it to Nicole, "I understand that you only have a Vaporeon with you at this moment. Whilst an excellent Pokémon to be sure, it doesn't hurt to have a back-up plan." He gestured to the Pokéball in the girl's hand. "Go on. Open it."

Nicole curiously looked at the Pokéball, excitedly wondering what sort of Pokémon could be inside. She gently tapped the button and the device popped open, releasing a bright red beam of energy that struck the ground. Slowly, a tiny creature formed on the ground, a toad-shaped being with turquoise and jade scaly skin, scarlet eyes, and a green bud growing out of its back.

Nicole's eyes brightened. "A Bulbasaur!" she exclaimed happily, recognizing the Grass/Poison-type Pokémon instantly. She aimed her Pokédex down at the grinning reptile and hit the button. "Like… this?" she muttered.

The Pokédex beeped and said, _"Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon. A Grass/Poison-type. Average Height: 2'04. Average Weight: 15 lbs. A strange seed was planted on its back at birth. The plant sprouts and grows with this Pokémon.__ This specimen's gender is male, and its size suggests that it is about two years old. Its special ability is Overgrow. Its power level is five." _

"Whoa," Tony murmured, both amazed by the speed that the Pokédex could identifity the Pokémon as well as the rarity of Nicole's gift. Bulbasaur were quite rare, being primarily a domesticated species that could get quite expensive.

"Only five?" Blue asked, looking down at the little Seed Pokémon. "Talk about weak…"

Nicole roughly elbowed the redhead in the side. "Don't be rude," she scolded, leaning down to pet her new Pokémon on the head. The reptile happily accepted her hand with a croon, overjoyed to finally have a trainer of his own.

"That little one has been waiting for a trainer of his own for quite some time," Oak explained, "and I cannot think of a trainer more suited for the little fellow than you, Nicole."

"T-thank you, Professor," Nicole said gratefully, bowing her head as she scooped up the Bulbasaur into her arms, pocketing her Pokédex. "I'll take good care of him, I promise!"

"I know that you will," Oak replied. He looked over to Tony and held up the second Pokéball. "And I have one for you as well, Mr. Miller," he said, holding out the ball. "I have a feeling you'll really like your present as well," he said in a tantalizing tone.

Tony felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine as he slowly took the ball from Oak, his fingers shaking as they slipped across the smooth surface. His mind was racing wildly, fantasies as to what could be inside, wondering what magnificent Bug-type Pokémon could lay within: a Pinsir, the vicious Stag Beetle Pokémon with horns that could crush steel? A Venomoth, the elegant Poison Moth Pokémon with a myriad of deadly concoctions of toxins? A Scyther, the infamous Mantis Pokémon, the beloved natural-born samurai of the Bug-types, with razor-sharp blades for arms that could slice through even the toughest of armor, the strongest defenses, and render opponents helpless?

He forced himself to breathe again and hit the button. The Pokéball popped open and released its occupant.

It was a small creature, far too small to be any of the larger Bug-types that he had thought of before. Its body was covered in aquamarine scales. It had a pale tan armored belly and a brown shell. Its tail was long and curved. Its arms and legs were rather stubby and it was bipedal. Its head was round. Its eyes were brown, large, and shining. It smiled up at him with a toothless beaked mouth.

Tony didn't smile. In fact, Tony's face was completely neutral. The air became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The Pokémon's smile became a little uncomfortable. "Squirt!" he greeted in a bubbly voice.

Oak grinned, completely oblivious to just how awkward he had just made things. "Speechless again, I see! I knew you'd like him!"

Tony didn't hear him. He was oblivious to everyone, to Nicole, Daisy, and Blue's questioning looks at him, to Lucky's jealous glare, to Spear's confused buzz, and to Oak's proud grin. Everything vanished as he stared in silence at the turtle-like Pokémon that he instantly recognized as a Squirtle – known also as the Tiny _Turtle_ Pokémon.

_That…_ Tony thought, mentally stating the obvious, _is not a Bug-type._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

"**Exposition, exposition, rush it out ASAP~!"**

**Once again, this chapter ended up being way, way longer than it probably should have been, and a lot of it was exposition. Oh, well. I hope that the pacing isn't too awkward.**

**So, first things first: yes, Tony has just received a non-Bug-type Pokémon. And yes, I do intend for Tony to train him. I happen to really like Squirtle (as of this moment it's my favorite of the Kanto Starter Pokémon) and I really couldn't think of a better way to incorporate all three starters into the story. **

**It should also be noted that Tony will still be training primarily Bug-types but will also use some of other types. I have two reasons for this:**

**First off, training only Bug-types doesn't really work for a compelling walkthrough of the Kanto League. Believe me, I know. It works in Unova because of the amazing variety of Bug-types, such as Bug/Electric, Bug/Rock, and Bug/Fire, which provide both variety and help to counter the weaknesses of their primary type. I want Tony to have a balanced team with a lot of personality and variety, and the six Bug-types of Kanto wouldn't exactly do it for me.**

**The second reason is also simple: Misty had a Togepi. Lance had a Charizard, an Aerodactyl, and a Gyarados. Sabrina had a Venomoth. Iris had an Emolga and an Excadrill. In short, dozens of other trainers – official characters, mind you – have had type specializations and have broken them outright, so I don't really feel bad about doing so as well. **

**And so we return to the old tradition of my last story: Reader Question Time! How do you feel about Tony getting Pokémon other than Bug-types? Answer after you review!**

**And, yes, the Pokédexes have built-in scouters. Evidently Oak and Agatha are fans of **_**Dragon Ball Z.**_

**Well, the next chapter will have more exciting stuff happening (probably), so stick around!**

* * *

**Culture Time!**

***1: Masamune: Masamune was a renowned Japanese sword****-****smith who lived from 1264-1343 AD. Fans of **_**Final Fantasy VII**_** might recognize the name as the name of Sephiroth's sword from the games. There is actually an award in Japan called the Masamune prize that is given to sword****-****smiths of high caliber. Since he was considered to be a master sword****-****smith, being able to hold a sword made by Masamune would obviously be considered a rare treat, especially for someone who knows about him (i.e. someone who lives in a fictional version of the Kantō Region of Japan who ****has studied his cultural history).**

* * *

**Next time... Pewter Saga: Chapter 2: Jumping the First Squirtle! **


	10. Jumping the first Squirtle!

**Pewter Saga: Chapter 2: Jumping the First Squirtle!**

* * *

"_Squirtle," _the Pokédex emotionlessly chimed from Tony's hand, _"the Tiny Turtle Poké__mon. A pure Water-type. Average Height: 1'08. Average Weight: 20 lbs. After birth, its back swells and hardens into a shell. It powerfully sprays foam from its mouth. This specimen is male and scans show that it is roughly two years old. Its special ability is Torrent. Its power level is five.__"_

Tony winced and pocketed the 'dex; it had confirmed his suspicions. It was indeed a Squirtle, the Water-type member of the triad of Starter Pokémon of Kanto alongside of Charmander and Bulbasaur. Squirtle. A turtle.

Turtles weren't bugs. They were reptiles. All of the Kanto Starter Pokémon were reptiles. They had endoskeletons. They had scales. They had teeth or, in Squirtle's case, beaks. They were _not bugs._

Oh, boy.

Now, Tony was by no means a herpetophobiac*1. He didn't even dislike the Squirtle species. He had some fond memories of going to the Viridian City Park and feeding the Squirtle who swam in the pond pieces of bread and carrots with his Auntie back when he was younger. He watched several documentaries on them, read dozens of books about them, and had a plush stuffed toy of one in his closet. He liked them the way he liked most Pokémon.

"Most Pokémon" being the keywords, here. "Most Pokémon," in Tony's head, translated to "Any Pokémon that isn't a Bug-type."

For three days now, Tony had been dreaming of the goal of his adventure: to become the first ever Champion of the Kanto League, and any other Pokémon League, to use exclusively Bug-types. Though it was a lofty goal, it was one he had been determined to pursue. After all, what better way to prove his strength to… to the world, than to win the league with a Pokémon type that was often considered to be the weakest by most?

Now, however, he had a Squirtle – a Pokémon that, while weak at his early stages, could become immensely powerful as it evolved. It was quite a famous Pokémon, too, and a popular choice for beginning trainers.

And that was the problem. It was popular. It was famous. It was so… _generic. _

Tony's dreams practically fell to pieces right there. If he used the Squirtle, then he'd just be another trainer. If he managed to take the Pokémon League Title, he'd be just another champion who used the same powerhouse, famous Pokémon that everyone else used.

It was like… it was like he wouldn't be himself anymore.

He opened his mouth to thank Professor Oak for the generous offer and to regretfully decline, but quickly shut up as his eyes locked gazes with the Squirtle's. The Tiny Turtle Pokémon was gazing up at him with admiration and hope – Tony was no Pokémon whisperer, but he was pretty good at determining when one was happy or not. Months of fighting off obviously unhappy rabid Pokémon had sharpened his perception.

He silently gazed into those brown eyes, he saw admiration… and hope.

As if sensing Tony's reluctance and diabolically attempting to guilt-trip him into compliance, Professor Oak cheerfully said, "That Squirtle has been waiting for a trainer like you for months! He's small, but he's also quite scrappy and stubborn. I can think of no one more worthy to care for such a Pokémon, and I can think of no Pokémon better-suited for a young man such as yourself! A Water-type will be quite handy against Fire and Rock-types, which would both be quite dangerous to your Bug-type Pokémon."

Tony finally managed to speak, the unintentionally stinging words of the Professor ringing in his ears. "Uh… thank you, sir, but I…"

"Daww, look at the little cutie," Nicole cooed, leaning over to look the Squirtle in the eye, the tiny Bulbasaur still tucked in her arms. "Hiya, little guy," she greeted.

Blue snapped his fingers behind his back. "Oh, geez. Water-type. Cool," he deadpanned. _Well,_ he thought to himself, _there goes the advantage of picking Charmander…_

"S-squirt…" the Squirtle chuckled sheepishly, not used to being the center of attention.

Unfortunately for the Tiny Turtle Pokémon, not everyone was looking down at him with admiration, pride, or fascination. Still hovering at Tony's side was a glaring, seething Butterfree.

Lucky's eyes were glowing with fury as she switched between glaring at Professor Oak and Squirtle, wondering just who she was the angriest with. Her sympathies were with Tony's, albeit far more extreme.

Lucky, as mentioned previously, was Tony's best friend and first Pokémon. Tony knew this and declared it to be so. Lucky knew this and declared it to be so. To most people and Pokémon, these declarations meant little more than them being close. However, it went much, much deeper than that.

Lucky had been at Tony's side since the first days he had been dropped off in Pallet Town. She had been his sole playmate, his roommate, and his confidant. She had been at his side when he lied in bed, sick to with the measles and deathly bored. She had been there when he had come home from school with a black eye and a bloody nose after an accident on the swing set. She had been there when he had begun the Pallet Patrol by heroically charging at the enraged Primeape that had been tearing apart a neighbor's flowerbed. She had been there to comfort him during his darkest hour, the day that broke his young heart. She was always there for him and she would always be there for him.

And now, someone had the gall to suggest that Tony actually needed _another_ Pokémon.

Lucky was able to tolerate Spear. He was annoying, yes, but she had put up with him for over five years by that point. Though the Beedrill was short-tempered, reckless, and otherwise lazy, Lucky could respect that he was indeed a capable fighter and a decent partner. And at least he was another Bug-type from her home of the Viridian Forest; Squirtle couldn't claim that.

She glowered down at the impudent little reptile, appalled by the adoring gazes the other humans were giving him. _Look at him, _she thought to herself. _Look at those pudgy little limbs… that heavy shell… those weak little non-compounded eyes._ _He doesn't even have mandibles! _She shook her wings angrily. _What sort of joke is this?! Tony doesn't need _him!

Spear, on the other hand, was looking down at the Squirtle with an expression of confusion. Unlike Lucky, he was far from a jealous sort. His skepticism was solely due to Squirtle's diminutive proportions. The Tiny Turtle Pokémon was just that – tiny. Spear was easily twice the reptile's size and easily three times as powerful. Even Squirtle's thick bone shell couldn't protect him from the vicious stings that Spear's pokers could deliver, and it certainly didn't look light either. Put simply, the kid would just get in his and Tony's way.

Professor Oak didn't seem to think so, though. "This Squirtle's quite the combatant," he boasted for the reptile. Squirtle beamed with pride at the Professor's kind words, "and he's quite eager to get to know you, Tony. I know you two will get along famously."

Tony finally managed to speak. "Thank you…?" he murmured just loud enough for Oak to hear but quietly enough that the Professor missed the hesitant tone.

"Now," Oak said to the Squirtle and Bulbasaur, "you two take good care of your trainer and do what they say, alright? I want you both to do your very best. It's a rough world out there, so keep your heads on a swivel and you'll do just fine!"

"Bulba!"

"Squirt!"

Oak returned his attention to the trio of trainers before him. "Well, that covers everything," he said with a beaming grin. "As such, I will not keep you three here any longer. Go on; the world of Pokémon awaits you, so get out there and explore!"

Blue nodded. "Right, Gramps. Leave it all to me!"

"We won't let you down, Professor!" Nicole promised him, Atlanta and her new Bulbasaur purring and croaking in agreement.

"Uh… right…" Tony murmured, still staring at Squirtle and wondering just what the heck he was supposed to say. Lucky and Spear managed to feign enough enthusiasm to chitter eagerly. Squirtle, however, was genuinely enthusiastic and quickly scurried to Tony's side, tripping over his own tail as he did so and sliding gently on the back of his shell before he stopped against Tony's legs.

Lucky face-palmed with her tiny hand. _You cannot be serious…_

"Come on, Atlanta," Nicole told her Vaporeon. "It's time to go." She nuzzled the Bulbasaur with her cheek before returning him to his Pokéball. "I don't know where we're going, but we need to get on the road." She placed the ball on her belt and patted it. "We'll come up with a name for our new friend on the way."

"Vapor!" Atlanta cheered, eager to have another Pokémon to help protect Nicole. It would take time for the Bulbasaur to reach the level of his Vaporeon ally when it came to power and skill, but Nicole and Atlanta were both ready to help him get bigger and stronger as they travelled across Kanto together.

The Unovan girl couldn't help but grin; she had been insanely nervous when Oak's request to meet with him had reached her, terrified that she was going to be sent home back to tormenters that called themselves her family. Now, she had a new lease on life! No more worrying about her family or home, no more unemployment, and no more getting all of her meals at Pokémon Centers! (It should be noted that Pokémon Center food had roughly the same quality of hospital food). From now on, she was a free woman!

Blue was equally elated, though he tried to play it cool as usual. He pulled out Charmander's Pokéball from his belt and released the tiny Lizard Pokémon, who appeared on the ground with an adorable growl. "Char!"

Blue grinned. "Time for us to get goin', buddy," he told the Fire-type. "We're gonna have to work hard if we're gonna be the best, alright? So no slacking!"

The Lizard Pokémon saluted. "Char!" he agreed.

Unfortunately for Tony, his enthusiasm had been chilled by the introduction to his own starter, who was still blissfully unaware of his trainer's sudden lack of joy and adventurous spirit. It was only a nudge and an expectant look from Lucky that allowed the bug-catcher to escape his catatonic state. The blond shook his head wildly as reality returned to him, alongside the realization that this wasn't some sort of awkward nightmare: Oak honestly expected him to the Squirtle with him.

Goodbye, dreams of being the world's only Bug-type Champion. Hello, Tony Miller: just another Pokémon Trainer who uses whatever is the most popular and time-tested choice.

And believe it or not, the day was actually going to get _worse._

No, really.

* * *

"Surprise!"

The sudden roar from the crowd shook Tony out of his apathy and nearly made him leap right out of his skin. Lucky squeaked in surprise and Spear raised his stingers defensively. The Squirtle, who had been trotting along behind them, gasped and swiftly tucked into his shell, as turtles do, and plopped to the floor behind his trainer's leg.

For a moment, Tony hoped – no, Tony prayed – that the crowd that had surrounded Professor Oak's lab was there to welcome the good Professor to Pallet Town with a little surprise party. Oak seemed like a sociable kind of man, so he'd likely enjoy a party like this. Then the blond could slip out with his Pokémon and begin his journey.

Unfortunately (or so Tony thought), he wasn't so lucky.

The crowd that surrounded the Oak Pokémon Laboratory consisted of almost every man, woman, and child that lived in Pallet Town, all of them surrounding the small hill like a besieging army. Instead of swords and spears, however, they were wielding flags, kazoos, and signs and banners; and those signs and banners had one thing in common: Tony.

"Good luck!" said one in Kantonian Kanji. "Thank you, Tony Miller!" said another. "We'll miss you!" another declared. "You're our Champ!"

Tony suppressed a groan. _Oh, no._

A shiver ran down his spine. There were so many people…

Blue and Charmander poked their heads out from door, both of them surprised to see the crowd and even more surprised to see the banners and signs glorifying his meek rival. "What, nothin' for me?" he muttered to himself, stepping over Squirtle to Tony's side. "Well, well," he said, nudging the blond in the side, "looks like your fan club's shown up to see you off, eh?" he chuckled.

Tony was as pale as a sheet. "I… I didn't even know I _had_ a fan club…" he murmured.

"Freeh…" Lucky agreed with a nod and a wince.

"Our hero!" someone declared.

There was a loud cheer that ripped through the crowd. A large, muscular man grabbed the short blond by the arm and hefted him up. Tony's eyes went wide and he squeaked in surprise as he was carried over the sea of people. "Lucky!" he squeaked, his voice deafened by the roar of the crowd. _"Help!"_

Before Tony knew it, the crowd had whisked him down the hill and to the top of a makeshift wooden platform with a podium and a mike on top and two speakers at the side, all plugged into a long, orange chain of extension cords that led to somebody's house.

Tony's involuntary crowd-surfing spree ended as the grateful Pallet citizens deposited him on the platform and swiftly swarmed around him, waving their signs and banners in the air, blowing on their kazoos and setting off firecrackers, showering him with confetti and praising his deeds.

Tony turned all the paler as he found himself on the platform and surrounded by over a hundred of Pallet Town's citizens, all of them focused solely on him. It reminded him briefly of the dream he had had a few nights before, where he had been the Pokémon League Champion at a press conference. In that dream, he had been rather awkward, yes, but he handled it pretty well – well, at least he thought he had handled it pretty well.

But that was a dream – now, he was confronted with a real life situation, and gripped by the iron clutches of his real life social ineptitude.

Someone in the crowd shouted for a speech. Unfortunately for Tony, someone else heard him and repeated the request, as did another, and another. Before long, the entire crowd was chanting for a speech. To Tony, it was like they were chanting for his execution.

And up on the hill, looking on from a distance, were Blue and Nicole, both of them dumbfounded by the massive display of affection and gratitude. "Should… should we go and help him…?" Nicole asked.

Blue thought about it. Helping Tony would take time. Time that could be better spent getting a head start before Tony and catching Pokémon for Gramps. "Nah!" he scoffed, shaking his head. "He's not in any trouble. They just want to thank him, that's all!" He grinned at Nicole. "Besides, who are we to crash his party, eh?"

"I thought you said he was really shy though…" Nicole began.

"All the more reason," Blue interrupted, putting his hand on the Unovan girl's shoulder and leading her down the hill and to the main road that led through Pallet Town, "to let him do it on his own. It'll help him cope with his fears."

Nicole wasn't entirely sure if she bought that, but she had her own problems to worry about. She gave Tony a half-hearted wave and made her way down the hill with Blue.

Tony saw the wave and watched in mournful silence as the two teens vanished from his line of sight. _Traitors… _he thought miserably as Lucky and Spear flew to his side, hovering next to the platform.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!" the crowd continued to chant. It was clear that they wouldn't be letting Tony go before their residential hero gave them some words of inspiration and gratitude.

Tony forced a smile, hoping that it wasn't too awkward. _You can do this, you can do this…_ he mentally chanted, knowing that the only thing worse than being surrounded by a crowd expecting a speech would be having a mental breakdown in front of said crowd.

He tapped the mike to make sure that it was working. The Pallet citizens went silent, which was somehow even more unnerving than their cheers.

Tony slowly moved his mouth to the mike and cleared his throat. "Uh… Good morning, everyone… It's, uh, nice to see you all out so early… Early Pidgey gets the…"

Lucky and Spear both glared at him.

Tony cleared his throat again. "Eh, never mind that… Uh, so, I know why you're all here… I have no idea how you found out about me leaving…" Well, technically that was a lie: he was willing to bet that Aunt Sally had mentioned it to some housewife friend who had spread the word, but he decided not to mention that. "Uh, but I'm really, really happy to see you all…"

It was a horrible speech, yes, and Tony turned redder and redder with each word that left his lips, but the crowd didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, they cheered all the louder, overjoyed that the local celebrity appreciated their respect for him.

Tony cleared his throat and continued. "I… I'm going to be leaving Pallet Town for a Pokémon Adventure today… It'll, uh, probably be a little while before I get back, so… Well…" His smile gained some authenticity, albeit with a hint of sadness. "I know I never really socialized with most of you and I've, uh, always been kind of an introvert… but I really love this town and… you all have been really great."

There were murmurs of approval throughout the audience. A few people went "daww!" sheepishly, flattered.

"So, um…" Tony stuttered. "I guess all I have to really say is, uh… I'll do my best… for you…?"

A raucous cheer broke out once more. Confetti exploded into the air, showering Tony and his Pokémon with a storm of colored paper and streamers.

Tony blew a streamer off of his nose and looked to Lucky. "How'd I do?" he whispered to her.

"Freeh." _Well, it's probably best that you don't pursue a career in politics._

The blond snorted at the Butterfree's tone. "Yeah, well… I'd like to see you do better…" he dared her. "At least everyone could understand me."

Before Lucky could come up with a suitable retort, a trio of voice managed to rise above the roar of the crowd. The citizens began to shuffle from side to side as three black-haired locals and one tiny purple rodent made their way to the front of the crowd.

The one at the head was a man Tony didn't recognize, a slightly pudgy man with balding dark hair and a white collared shirt. The trio who followed him, however, he did recognize in an instant. A tall, dark-haired woman, a short dark-haired girl, and a tiny Ratatta. It was Mary, her mother Kim, and her Pokémon Nibbles. Logic dictated that the man was her father, but Tony decided not to make any assumptions. It was always awkward when people mistook Aunt Sally for his mother.

The small group arrived at the front of the crowd. "Good morning, Mr. Miller," the man greeted with a humble bow. Mary and her mother followed suit.

Tony winced, beginning to feel like a dignitary rather than a Pokémon Trainer.

Rising from his bow, the man introduced myself: "My name is Takeo Takahashi," he said, "and I'm Mary's father." He raised his voice so that the majority of the crowd could hear him, and those who couldn't had closer friends explain what he was saying. "Four days ago you saved my little girl's life, and for that I can't thank you enough."

Tony turned red. "J-just glad to help out… it was nothing, really…"

"No, no it wasn't," Takeo interrupted, raising his hand. "If it wasn't for you, my little girl…" He put a hand on Mary's head and pulled her closer to him in a protective fashion. "I… I don't even want to think about it…"

"We all owe you a great debt of gratitude," Kim broke in sincerely, "as does everyone in this town. You selflessly risked your life for… for people you don't even _know_, time and time again. That's why we all came here today: we wanted to see you off personally, to thank you for your efforts in keeping us all safe."

"So thank you again!" Mary peeped in, managing to get her parent's point across in just four words.

"Eeek," Nibbles agreed with a nod.

Tony just rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what he was supposed to say in response to such a heartfelt speech. He settled on, "You're welcome" and hoped it was enough.

It was. "We're all so grateful for your help," Kim said humbly. "We're not a rich family… my husband works in stocking at a sporting goods store, and he only just makes enough for us to live on, but we couldn't just let you leave town without giving you a little present."

Tony's eyes went wide and his terror of shaming himself in front of a crowd was replaced by the terror of driving a small family to bankruptcy. "N-no, you don't have to…"

"Well, we already did," Takeo interrupted. Fortunately for Tony's conscience, he was still smiling. "Mary has it."

Mary, who had had her hands behind her back in an entirely innocent manner, quickly removed them and exposed the family's present to Tony and the world.

Lying in the girl's tiny hands was a simple baseball cap, likely obtained at Takeo's workplace. It was brand new, colored primarily red save for the front panel, which was white and labeled with large bold letters that read "PALLET." It looked a little large for Tony, but it looked quite snug as well, and its bill wide enough to easily block the sun from his eyes.

"It's a baseball cap," Mary explained, as if Tony couldn't see that himself. "It says Pallet to show everyone you beat on your journey that you're from here and you're our hero!"

It was a nice hat. It was nicer than Tony's new vest, which was for sure. At least it was new, though, although it lacked the proud family history that the vest carried with it.

However, the hat was special nonetheless, albeit for different reasons. Pappy's vest had been worn by Pappy when he had gone to the Pokémon League, and it had been worn by his father and grandfather. It was a symbol, not only of Pappy's faith in his grand-nephew's ability as a Pokémon Trainer but also of the old man's acceptance of the boy as part of the Miller clan, even if not by blood.

The hat was different. It was a symbol not of faith and family, but of gratitude. All of those months of risking his life, all of the struggles he went through, every wound he and his Pokémon had suffered had been for the people in Pallet Town who weren't Pokémon Trainer, the ones who couldn't protect themselves. All Tony had been doing was what his family had raised him to do: the right thing. Yes, he did get something out of it – the thrill of battling dangerous Pokémon had helped to temporarily quell his wanderlust as well as increasing his skills as a trainer and his bugs' strength – but at the end of the day, he was just helping people out. He didn't really need a reward and he didn't expect one.

The hat was a reward – a small one, but a reward nonetheless. But that wasn't what was important to Tony. What was important was that Takeo, Kim, Mary, and Nibbles were happy because of him and they wanted to thank him. Everyone in Pallet Town wanted to thank him. That's why they were there.

Tony blinked back the tears of happiness that threatened to flow as he took the hat into his hands. "T-thank you…" he whispered. He cleared his throat and then, addressing the entirety of the audience, said, "Thank you all so much. I… I'm going to miss you all… but I'm going to win the Pokémon League for you guys!"

The crowd cheered, clapped, and stomped in response, showering him with more praise and confetti. Like his family and Professor Oak, they all adamantly believed that if there was ever to be a Pokémon League Champion from Pallet Town, it would have to be Tony Miller.

"Let's not keep you any longer," Kim shouted to Tony as she and her family stepped aside. "Go on – the Pokémon League is waiting!"

"We know that you can win!" Takeo cried. "We'll be waiting to see your face on the news again!"

"Visit us sometime!" Mary called, waving at her hero.

The crowd parted again, this time to make a path for Tony to exit. The blond happily took this opportunity to leap down from the podium, muttering a little prayer that he would never have to get on one again, and quickly took off, Lucky and Spear happily taking off after him. The crowd waved and cheered and shouted "Banzai!"*2 as the trio shot down the grass and quickly took off into the horizon. The local hero and his friends vanished over the glowing emerald hills of Pallet Town, the cheers of the adoring crowds lingering in the air for quite some time before they finally dispersed and returned to their routines.

Meanwhile, still curled up on Professor Oak's porch, was Squirtle, who finally poked his head outside of his shell. The good news was that the crowd was gone. The bad news was that so was his trainer.

Brown eyes wide with panic, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon squealed "Squirt!" and took off to find Tony.

* * *

Tony found Nicole near the exit of Pallet Town and the entrance to Route 1. Blue was, thankfully, nowhere to be seen. In fact, he had already run off after discerning that Nicole was not interested in being part of his "personal cheerleading squad." Why he thought he was worthy of such a thing is a mystery to this day.

The Unovan girl was hunched over her two Pokémon, few slices of apple, likely plucked from the Miller Clan's apple tree, in her hands. The two Pokémon eagerly accepted the sweet red fruits from their trainer as she fawned over them. When she noticed Tony's approach, she stood up and greeted him. "Oh, hey! How was the speech?"

"Dreadful," Tony replied. It was mostly true, after all. Praise as a hero or not, he hated being the center of attention like that. "Why didn't you help me?" he asked the Unovan.

Nicole winced slightly. It was the first time she had heard a tone of unfriendliness in Tony's voice directed at her. "I… Well, Blue said that it'd be rude to interrupt…"

_And you believed him,_ Tony thought grimly.

"I mean, I knew you were shy, but…" Nicole folded her arms. "Well, what was I supposed to do?" she demanded. "I couldn't just rush in and take over the speech for you, could I? I'd look like an idiot up there, and I wasn't who they wanted to see."

Now it was Tony's turn to wince. Nicole made an excellent point. What could she have done? The crowds hadn't wanted to see her; they had wanted to see him. (There was also the fact that Nicole knew that someone in the audience would have probably recognized her as the cowardly foreign girl who was shivering behind a pile of canned pineapples whilst Tony was fighting Magmar, but it was best that he didn't know that). He sighed. "You're right," he admitted. "Sorry."

Nicole's frown vanished and her smile took its place back. "It's nothing," she assured him. "I understand. For what it's worth, it was very brave getting up there like that."

"Yeah…" Tony smiled a little, too. "I guess it was."

"Freeh," Lucky agreed.

Tony turned his attention to Nicole's newest Pokémon. "Did you name him yet?" he asked as he leaned down to closer examine the happy Bulbasaur.

"I was thinking of Bud," Nicole replied.

"A plant that hasn't bloomed yet?" Tony asked, curiously examining every inch of the Grass/Poison-type. "That's a good choice."

Nicole knelt beside him. "Well, actually I was just gonna name him that because he seemed friendly…" she admitted. "But, yeah, now that I know that, I think it works! What do you think?" she asked the Bulbasaur. "Bud?"

The Bulbasaur nodded. "Bulba!" he agreed.

"Bud it is!" Nicole declared.

"Good choice." Tony nodded. "Can I…?" He reached his hand over Bud's head.

Nicole nodded back. "Go ahead."

Tony proceeded to give the little reptile a fond pat on the head, his fingers smoothly gliding across the bumpy scales that made up Bud's skin. Then, he placed both of his hands around the bulb on the Grass/Poison-type's back, slowly moving his fingers up and down on the leaves. "Bulbasaur like this," he told Nicole. Bud gave a happy growl to emphasize the blond's point.

After Tony had removed his hands, Nicole's took their place, mimicking his actions. "You're right," she said, very much impressed. "You know a lot about Pokémon, don't you?"

"Well, I watch a lot of nature documentaries," Tony replied bashfully.

"Yeah…" Nicole looked at Tony, then to Lucky, and then to Spear. "Hey," she said, "where's your Squirtle?"

Tony blinked. "What?"

"The Squirtle that Professor Oak gave you, like, ten minutes ago," Nicole deadpanned, still petting Bulbasaur. "Where'd he go?"

Tony looked around, finally remembering the Tiny Turtle Pokémon again and realizing that he was no longer present. "Uh… I…"

Mercifully, said Tiny Turtle Pokémon chose this moment to arrive at Route 1, dashing frantically on all fours as he rushed up to his reluctant trainer and the Unovan girl. Gasping pathetically, Squirtle collapsed at Tony's feet, eyes wide open, tongue hanging out of the corner of his mouth, and clutching his chest as best he could as he slowed his breathing, his burning lungs slowly cooling down. If he had sweat glands, the reptile would assuredly be coated in perspiration.

"There he is," Tony said simply.

Nicole folded her arms. "Tony," she huffed.

Tony winced, terrified that Nicole had discerned that he had forgotten about, and in fact did not want, Squirtle.

"Your Pokédex said that Squirtle is only level five!" the lass scolded, scooping Squirtle up into her arms. "He's not nearly as strong as your Butterfree or Beedrill! You can't just ran around with him the same way you do with them!"

"Oh…" Tony swiftly nodded. "R-right. Sorry."

"Freeh…" Lucky face-palmed. Great. So the new guy was not only a reptile, but he was also a _weakling._ This just kept getting better and better.

"Honestly…" Nicole muttered, wondering how someone she had praised mere moments ago about his knowledge of Pokémon could be so scatterbrained with one. "Why don't you keep him in his Pokéball for now? He looks dead tired."

"S-squirt…" Squirtle agreed, still panting.

"Sure…" Tony agreed, pulling Squirtle's Pokéball from his belt and returning the Water-type to his home inside the capsule for a rest. "I'll just keep him in here for a bit…"

"You do that," Nicole said with a nod. "Have you thought of a name for him yet?" she asked, deciding to change the subject to something more pleasant.

Tony shook his head. "Not really…" he replied. "I… I guess I'll come up with something…"

"Make it a good nickname," Nicole ordered. "Cute little guy deserves one."

"Yeah…" Tony paused. Nicole seemed to like Squirtle… "Nicole…" he said suddenly, "do you have any Bug-types?" he asked in a hopeful tone. Maybe the lass had something she was willing to part with for Squirtle…

Nicole chuckled. "Sorry, but no," she replied, dashing his hopes. "But I will have one soon." She adjusted the straps on her backpack. "We were just about to start looking for wild Pokémon – er, the non-rabid kind – to catch for the Pokédex. I really need the work, so I want to get started as soon as I can."

"Oh…" Tony muttered, trying to hide his disappointment. "W-well, I won't keep you, then…"

"Don't worry about me," Nicole giggled. "You know that I can take care of myself. You get going. The nearest Pokémon Gym is the one in Viridian City, the one run by Mr. Sakaki."

"Right," Tony agreed with a nod. "I guess I'll just leave you to it, then…" He felt oddly disappointed. A part of him had wanted Nicole to accompany him.

He shook it off. Nicole had her goals and he had his. Their respective missions would likely get in the way of one another at some point. Travelling separately was probably for the best.

Still, he found himself asking, "Do you think we'll see each other again?"

"Of course we will!" Nicole replied. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Tony smiled. "Right… I guess we are. Seeya around, Nicole. Bye, Atlanta, Bud."

"Seeya!" Nicole replied.

"Bulba!" Bud agreed.

"Vapor," Atlanta purred with a nod.

Tony turned and started walking, Lucky and Spear flanking on each side, the awkwardness of Oak's lab and the crowds vanishing from their minds as the excitement of the adventure awaiting them took hold once more. Nicole, Atlanta, and Bud returned to their own objective as Nicole pulled out her Pokédex to determine what sort of Pokémon were native to the area.

The greatest adventures of their lives had begun at last.

* * *

The good news was that Tony found the Viridian City Gym very quickly. The bad news was that he found it just as it was closing down.

The Viridian City Gym was located towards the back of Viridian City. Like its occupant, the Gym was a dignified and elegant-looking structure, made by master masons and architects. It was so nice, that it looked more like a miniature mansion than it did a Pokémon Gym, with sand-colored bricks making up the walls, with a dark green tiled overhanging roof, with four stone pillars supporting it. Beautiful-looking windows dotted the walls, each one with a flowerbox underneath it, bursting with bright natural firecrackers of color. Two statues of Pokémon, one of a Nidoqueen and another of its male counterpart, Nidoking, on either side, each one standing rampant, with their claws outstretched and jaws open wide, as if they had been frozen mid-roar.

Tony wasn't there to admire the architecture, however. He had wasted enough time when he had slowly walked through Viridian City, inspecting the damage from Magmar's attack that hadn't been cleaned up yet. Thankfully, there hadn't been much. Giovanni's scathing words for the police force had probably reached the ears of the local cleaning and construction crews, who had also feared the wrath and bad publicity the Viridian Mayor and Gym Leader could bring to them.

It was inspiring for Tony, really. Giovanni was the hero that people needed, not him. Giovanni, aside from clearly being a skilled and knowledgeable Pokémon Trainer, was not a meek or soft-spoken man. He was kind and generous, but also hard enough to shake people out of apathy when he needed to. Pallet Town was far better off in his capable hands, especially now that he had the police force reeling with the threat of humiliation and unemployment.

When he had been satisfied with the evidence that no one's life had been ruined by the tragedy, Tony had made his way to the Viridian City Gym, eagerly anticipating his first Gym Battle. He knew that Giovanni specialized in Ground-types, something that he couldn't exactly counter (he was adamant in not using Squirtle, still not comfortable that the reptile was on his belt), but he figured Lucky and Spear's advantages of flight and speed would give him an edge. He was just about to finish formulating his strategy in his mind (consisting of the cheap but useful Sleep Powder strategy with Lucky) when he had caught sight of the red sign that was taped against the Gym's glass doors, which read: "The Viridian City Gym will be CLOSED until further notice due to rabid Pokémon attacks. We apologize in advance."

Another disappointment attack hit Tony, accompanied by a sense of panic when he read the words "rabid Pokémon attacks." Had another Pokémon attacked Viridian City? Was Giovanni injured or… or dead? Who would protect Pallet Town?

Fortunately, the blond's fears were put to rest when the glass doors automatically slid open and Giovanni himself stepped outside, still dressed in his simple suit. He was followed by a very tired-looking Officer Jenny and, surprisingly and unfortunately, a smirking Blue Oak.

To Tony's relief, Giovanni didn't seem injured in the slightest. In fact, the man was positively beaming when he caught sight of the much shorter male. "Ah, Mr. Miller!" he greeted, grabbing Tony's hand into a firm handshake. "I was hoping to see you before you set off. I would have gone to your house to bid farewell this morning, but I'm afraid I've been very busy with the rabid Pokémon mess the past couple of days."

Tony raised his free hand. "It's okay, sir," he replied. "You have more important things to worry about. I don't mind. I'm just glad that you're going to keep Pallet Town safe."

Giovanni released the younger man's hand. "I'm so glad that you understand," he replied. His smile softened and he looked over to the Viridian City Gym's closed doors. "I suppose you came here to challenge me to a Gym Battle?" he asked.

Tony slowly nodded. "Yes, sir."

Giovanni returned the nod. "I see… Unfortunately, Mr. Miller, I just closed the Gym down – with permission from my superiors in the Pokémon League, of course. Whilst Pokémon Battles are my preferred pastime, I must put that aside for the time and put all of my energy into reforming the area and dealing with the infestation of the Viridian Forest. In fact," he said, casting a look at Officer Jenny, "Officer Jenny was just about to inform me of the progress right before we ran into you."

Officer Jenny, as mentioned before, looked absolutely exhausted. Her eyes were misty and unfocused and had small bags underneath them, likely from sleep deprivation. Now that the slothful ways of the Viridian Police Force had finally caught up with her, she was working around the clock to ensure that she didn't lose her job. "The perimeter around the Viridian Forest has been intensified," she slurred tiredly, "and reinforcements have arrived and are being sent to set up a new perimeter around Pallet Woods. I spent all of last night printing pamphlets that inform citizens of the proper procedures in the case of a wild Pokémon attack."

"Good, good," Giovanni said with a nod. "Excellent work, officer. Keep me posted on your progress." He cleared his throat and returned his attention to Tony. "Well, Mr. Miller, as I was saying, I'm afraid the Viridian Gym is closed for now. Your friend Blue only just managed to arrive and battle me before I shut it down."

Tony looked to Blue, now understanding why the redhead had decided not to help him earler. "Oh, he did?" he asked in a quiet voice. _There is no way he actually won,_ the blond thought, his mind reeling in disbelief. _If he couldn't even_ _beat_ me…

Blue's grin intensified. "And guess what I won," he said in a boastful tone. Reaching into his pocket, Blue pulled out a shining, tiny piece of metal, colored green and shaped like a beautiful leaf. "The Earth Badge!" he bragged, flipping the Gym Badge like it was a coin, catching it, and then shoving it back into his pocket.

Giovanni nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "Mr. Oak is proving himself to be quite the Pokémon Trainer – he might even be as good as you, Tony."

Tony's grin returned and Blue's vanished. "Yeah, right," Tony said with a nod.

_Yeah, right,_ Blue scoffed mentally.

"It was quite an interesting battle," Giovanni continued, either missing or ignoring the animosity. "I must admit, I was quite surprised by the appearance of your Victreebel, Mr. Oak."

Tony's smile vanished. "Victreebel?" he asked. He gave Blue a cold, suspicious look. "When did you catch a Victreebel? Or did you…?"

Blue's grin returned. "Well, _you_ weren't using him…" he murmured. Glancing down at his watch, he said, "Oh, look at the time. I'd better get going and tell Gramps and Daisy that I've already won my first Gym Badge!" He started to walk away, but not before stopping as he passed Tony and adding, "And only _one hour_ after my journey started," to spite his blond rival. "Gotta go, Mr. Giovanni. Seeya 'round." He casually waved over his shoulder and walked off, chuckling to himself.

_Man, I hate that guy,_ Tony growled to himself. He made a note to call Professor Oak later to demand just what the old man had been thinking when he allowed Blue to take Victreebel. Just because he didn't want to use the Grass/Poison-type didn't mean he wanted Blue using it.

Giovanni interrupted his mental groaning. "Mr. Miller, if you would like a Gym Battle, I would be happy to oblige. I'll be late for my meeting, but I'd be glad to make an exception for a hero such as yourself."

Tony raised his hand again. "No, Mr. Sakaki. It's okay. You're protecting Pallet Town and Viridian City. I don't want to keep you from that. I'll just… head to the next Gym in the next city, I guess."

"Are you sure?" Giovanni asked, his tone turning concerned. "I'd hate to disappoint you of all people, Mr. Miller."

"No, no!" Tony shook his head. "I'm not disappointed at all!" he lied. "Pallet Town and Viridian City's safeties are more important to me than any old Gym Badge. I can wait as long as it takes."

Giovanni's charismatic smile returned. "Very well. Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Miller. We'll all work twice as hard to deal with this crisis so that I can open the Viridian Gym again as quickly as possible!" he promised.

Jenny's tired eyes went wide. "T-twice as hard…?" she slurred exhaustedly.

"Yes, officer, of course!" Giovanni said with a nod. "For the sakes of Pallet and Viridian, and so the brave Pokémon Trainers who travel to our fair city will never be disappointed when I cannot battle them. We will all work twice as hard and for twice as long if necessary."

Jenny bowed her head so that Giovanni couldn't see her glaring at Tony. Okay, just because I was a little rough on you doesn't mean that I never deserve a good night's sleep again, you little brat!

"Now," Giovanni said, putting his hand on Tony's shoulder, "if I might make a suggestion – a completely optional one, of course, since this is, after all, _your_ journey – I would recommend that you travel north, around Viridian Forest, to Pewter City. Have you ever been there before?"

Tony nodded. "Yes, sir," he confirmed. "I went a few times with my Auntie to the Pewter City Museum, and my Uncle Brad's been trying to get a job as co-curator there for a few years now so he can work closer to home."

"Excellent, excellent, then you have some experience. Well, Mr. Miller, there is another Pokémon Gym right in Pewter City – the Pewter City Gym. It's led by a young man by the name of Brock. He is no pushover, to be sure, but…" Giovanni patted Tony on the shoulder. "I'm certain you're more than skilled enough to defeat him."

Tony's disappointment vanished in a flash. He looked up to the Viridian Gym Leader with eagerness shining in his eyes. "Really?" he asked.

"Indeed," Giovanni said with a nod. "If you set off right now, you'd easily make it to the city before sunset. That would give you plenty of time to get your Pokémon some rest before you challenge Brock."

Tony nodded rapidly. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," he said with a quick bow. "I'll head there right now!" With another bow, he gave a quick farewell and thank you to the Gym Leader before turning around taking off like a shot. He moved so fast that it took Lucky and Spear a moment to register that he was gone. The two Bug-types quickly took after their trainer, calling after him to slow down.

Giovanni smiled as he watched him go. "Nice young man," he commented to the barely awake Officer Jenny. "He reminds me a great deal of myself when I was his age."

"Oh, you mean you made the local cops go crazy, too?" Officer Jenny murmured tiredly before she could stop herself. She winced as she realized what she had just said and braced herself for a brutal reprimanding.

To her surprise, however, Giovanni's smile grew all the larger. "You could say that," he chuckled. "Now, why don't you go home and get some rest? I need to get to my meeting with the chief about the perimeter."

An exhausted smile crossed Jenny's lips. "Yes, sir," she slurred, slowly crawling off to find her way back to her apartment – or to a bar, whichever came first – whilst Giovanni silently watched Tony and his Pokémon vanish into the Viridian City, off to find Route 2 and the city of stone that laid beyond it.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Well, Tony's finally out of Pallet Town, meaning more adventure and less sappy family stuff. I'm sure a lot of you are happy about that! Now he's off to Pewter City to face his first Gym Battle! Will he be able to defeat the mysterious Brock, and what challenges await him in Pewter? Tune in next time to find out!**

**And now, it's Reader Question Time! Who are your favorite male and female Gym Leaders in the Gen 1 games? Mine are Sabrina and Brock. Answer after you review! **

* * *

**Culture Time!**

***1: Herpetophobia: A combination of the Greek words **_**herpeton, **_**meaning "creeping animal," the Greek term for a reptile or amphibian, and **_**phobia,**_** meaning "fear." Someone who is herpetophobic suffers from a morbid, and often irrational, fear of reptiles and amphibians in general. This is not to be confused with ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, which is probably more common. **

***2:****Banzai: An ancient expression from China that was later brought to Japan. It is believed that Japanese kamikaze ("divine wind") bombers (once their planes were badly damaged, they would charge enemy ships, planes, and bases to try and destroy them in their last moments) during World War II would shout this. However, its modern usage in Japan is a variant of shouting "Huzzah!" or "Hurray!" People raise their arms above their heads while shouting it.**

* * *

**Next time... Pewter Saga: Chapter 3: The Taming of the Sandshrew!**


	11. The Taming of the Sandshrew

**Pewter Saga: Chapter 3: Taming of the Sandshrew!**

* * *

The Viridian Forest was composed of two-hundred acres that stretched around Viridian City in a horseshoe shape. Every inch of it was covered in foliage, trees, mushrooms, or other sorts of greenery.

The Viridian was a place of whimsy and horror, of natural beauty and natural terror. During the day, it was a shady paradise, the thick canopy of its trees blocking out most of the sunlight. During the night, it was a pitch black maze of tree trunks and thorn bushes, one that had led many a lost traveler to his or her unfortunate demise, which is why several roads had been built through the forest, from roads to dirt paths, to aid such unlucky folks in finding their ways back to civilization, each one lined with streetlights.

Of course, the forest was still far from safe due to the recent infestation of rabid Pokémon. Whilst the Viridian's mazelike interior had led people astray, the local Pokémon had originally been quite tame. Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey, and Ratatta had once lived in those woods, and none of those were particularly dangerous specimens. The only Pokémon species that could have been considered a threat was Pikachu, an Electric-type Mouse Pokémon that could give people a nasty zap if mishandled.

With the infestation, however, even the dreaded Pikachu had vacated the premises, their electrical attacks not up to snuff when compared to the vicious strength of the fully-evolved invaders. The small, benign Pokémon of the Viridian had been shoved out by the larger ones, forced to relocate to the vacant fields of grass alongside the roads, where they eked out a meager living amongst the scarcer vegetation.

As such, Tony couldn't help but feel a little sad as he walked down the long, long road that led to Pewter City. Tall trees towered over him on either side, like a canyon of greenery, as well as two, tall fences with sharp barbed wires, running all the way down the path. Humming metal boxes were attached to the fences, pouring powerful jolts of electricity into the metal. Multiple red signs, posted continuously on the sides, read "WARNING! Electric Fence! Do not touch!" with a little cartoon man being horrifically zapped to prove its point.

Tony sighed as yet another police car passed him by, the officers inside keeping their eyes open for any sign of wild Pokémon getting over the barrier. Lucky and Spear had gone quiet, neither one of them making a peep as they somberly flitted beside him. Both of them had been born in those woods and to see it so militarized, even for the sake of innocent lives, hurt them both. The forest had once been so pristine, so beautiful, a place free from the industrialization of mankind, much like Pallet Town. Now it was a danger zone, with only an electric fence dividing them from the deadly Pokémon lurking within the forest.

"Freeh…" Lucky chirped quietly, shaking her head.

"I know, Lucky…" Tony nodded sympathetically. "I don't like it either…" He cast a wary eye at the electric fences. "Kind of reminds me of that movie where they clone the prehistoric Pokémon and put them in a theme park…"*1 he muttered.

"Freeh," Lucky agreed.

"But look on the bright side," Tony said. "This is all going to help the Viridian Forest. Mr. Giovanni and the police are going to take care of everything. Soon, they're going to take down those fences and open up all the roads again! And when that happens, we'll come back to visit!"

Lucky and Spear nodded, their moods improving drastically at their trainer's promise. "Freeh," Lucky agreed.

Tony grinned again. "Come on," he told them. "We're almost there…" Breaking into a run, he shot off, his boots pounding the graveled path. His Bug-types beat their wings and took off after him, eager to get a move on.

Trees and barbed wire passed them all in a blur. The wind brushed against their faces with its gentle embrace. Before long, they came to a point where the Viridian Forest vanished altogether and turned into wide, grassy plains. A sign stood at the very edge of the trees, sitting on the side of the path, which read: "Kanto Route 2. Pewter City N. Viridian City S."

Tony dug his boots into the ground and came to a grinding halt. The blond found himself on top of a gentle slope. His eyes followed the path that wound down from the forest until they arrived at a large patch of grey among the green. At the very bottom of the slope was a large, rock-covered field, every inch of it covered with gravel and stone, as well as a few patches of tiny greenery. In the center of the grayness he could see the shapes of several slate-colored buildings: Pewter City!

"There it is," he told Lucky and Spear. "That's where our Gym Battle is." He looked to his watch and grinned. "And it's only just lunchtime! We should have our first Gym Badge before dinner!"

"Bzz!" Spear agreed, pumping a stinger into the air.

* * *

The merry band of adventurers set up their picnic on one of the grassy slopes, sitting happily in the grass as they silently ate their meals, kicked back, and watched the day unfold before them. A warm summer breeze ruffled the grass and Tony's hair, and the warm sunlight kissed their faces. The sky was bright blue, the air was warm, and the day was perfect for adventure.

But adventure could wait until after lunch. Aunt Sally had packed Tony a bento*2 box for his first day on the road, lovingly filled with some of her nephew's favorites. His bugs had a meal of their own, consisting of canned Pokémon food and small bowls of sugared water.

Tony leaned back into the grass, one arm behind his head, and the other holding a piece of mochi*3 that he had been eating. The blond calmly enjoyed his meal as he watched the clouds drift by. Though his eyes were on the matching sky, his mind was completely focused on what was to come to him in Pewter City.

He hadn't asked Giovanni what sort of Pokémon Brock used. In fact, he had never heard of Brock before in his entire life. He supposed that the Pewter Gym Leader was a new one who had only recently arrived or just not a very flamboyant or memorable one who hadn't garnered much of a reputation. Either way, he didn't know what to expect. He was scared, but also a little bit excited. Not knowing what he was going to face only added to the anticipation that made him tingle with excitement.

Speaking of tingling, something was vibrating on the side of his belt. Tony sat up and looked down to see a Pokéball on his belt shaking wildly. It was Squirtle's; the Water-type was trying to get out.

Tony turned red guiltily, realizing that while he didn't want to use Squirtle in battle, he still had to feed the reptile. It would be inhumane not to do so, and very much against his character.

He pulled the ball from his belt and popped it open. Squirtle appeared in a flash of scarlet light. The Tiny Turtle Pokémon's face split into a wide, toothless grin as he realized his trainer had finally let him out after two hours of walking. "Squirt!" he greeted with a salute.

"Uh… Hey," Tony replied, giving the Water-type a little wave. "So… hungry?"

"Squirt!" Squirtle confirmed with an eager nod.

Tony leaned over to where he had set his backpack and pulled out a can of Pokémon food from its nearly limitless depths. "Here you go," he said, popping the lid off of the can and setting it down in front of Squirtle. "Eat up. I'll get you some water."

Squirtle nodded eagerly, gave a grateful "Squirt!" and immediately dug in. The Water-type tore into the brown nuggets like his trainer dug into his Auntie's takoyaki. Crumbs and slobber scattered everywhere as the reptile happily shoveled food into his gaping maw.

Lucky and Spear winced in unison. It was weird enough when they watched Tony and his family eat, with those weird human teeth and those weird face balloons that they called cheeks, much different from the effective, yet simple, mandibles of a Bug-type. Squirtle, on the other hand, had no teeth and no cheeks, just a bizarre beak that looked incredibly alien on the face of anything other than a Bird Pokémon to the two. It was really sort of… grotesque.

Suddenly, Squirtle stopped his disgusting display and turned his attention to Lucky and Spear. The Water-type happily waved at his two new partners, and the two Bug-types quickly returned their attention to their own meals.

Squirtle, oblivious to the awkwardness of the situation, shrugged and returned to his meal, finishing it off before grabbing the bowl of water Tony had given him and loudly gulping it down.

Tony sighed as he returned to his position in the grass, replacing his mochi into his mouth as he tried hard not to listen to the nauseating sounds of Squirtle's feast, returning his attention to the battle that laid in wait for him. _I need to focus, _he thought to himself. _The Pewter City Gym could be using any kind of Pokémon… I wonder if the Sleep Powder strategy will work there, too? It always seems to work on the rabid Pokémon…_

He finished off his mochi and reached for another one. Instead of gripping a delicious rice cake, however, his hand skimmed across something fuzzy and prickly instead.

"Nido!"

Tony winced and cried out as something jabbed into his finger. The bug-catcher leaped to his feet, swiftly sucking the blood off of the bleeding appendage before waving it around wildly. Lucky and Spear were on their wings in an instant, quickly putting themselves in front of their trainer. Squirtle looked up from his meal curiously, wondering what was going on, before quietly helping himself to a few nuggets from Lucky's dish.

Tony's attacker was still perched on his now-empty bento, growling warily as she kept her distance from her attackers. It was a tiny, rabbit-like creature with turquoise fur and scarlet eyes. Sharp prickles rose out of its back and the tips of its ears. A tiny fang was sticking out of mouth, and the tip was red with Tony's blood.

"A Nidoran…" Tony murmured. Remember the Pokédex that the Professor had generously given him, as well as the old man's request to use it as often as possible, he pulled the tiny device out and switched it on.

_"Nidoran," _the monotone female voice droned, _"the __Poison Pin Pokémon. Average Height: 1'04. Average Weight: 15 lbs. Although small, its venomous barns render this Pokémon dangerous. The female has smaller horns. This specimen is female and scans show that it is roughly three years old. Its special ability is Poison Point. Its power level is four."_

Tony winced, realizing that he had dodged another bullet. The Nidoran had bitten him before he could have brushed his hand against its poisoned barbs. He wiped a drop of sweat from his brow and gave a sigh of relief. "That was close…"

"Nido!" the Nidoran growled in her high-pitched voice, angry that she had been interrupted in the midst of her stolen lunch.

Tony frowned. "Okay," he said in a frustrated tone, "that was _my lunch._"

"Nido!" The Nidoran used her claw to pull down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out at the trainer. "Nido!" she taunted, shouting obscenities too vulgar to be translated into this text.

Unfortunately for Nidoran, Lucky and Spear understood what she had said. After recovering from their shock at such horrible language (even hotheaded Spear was disgusted), Lucky shot into action, unleashing a vicious bolt of Confusion.

If Nidoran had had access to a Pokédex, she might have realized that Lucky's power level was fifteen whilst hers was merely four. Needless to say, the fight ended rather quickly. Nidoran screeched in agony as her mind was struck by Lucky's mental attack. Unable to withstand the Bug/Flying-type's assault, the Poison-type hit the ground. "Nido…" she moaned.

Tony's eyes widened as he remembered Professor Oak's request. "Oh man, oh man," he muttered, kneeling on the ground and tearing into his backpack. "I know Auntie packed… Alright!" he declared, pulling out a shiny new Pokéball. "Go!" he ordered the Pokéball as if it were a Pokémon itself, tossing it at the downed Nidoran.

The ball struck home, nailing the dazed rodent right on the nose. The capsule popped open and unleashed a ray of red energy, enveloping the Nidoran, swiftly shrinking her down and absorbing her within. It slammed shut, the Poison-type still inside, and plopped to the ground.

Tony went tense as the ball began to rock back and forth as the Nidoran weakly struggled within it, the concept of being trained by a human who she had just robbed of a meal not entirely appealing to her. The Pokéball shook once, twice, and one last time before finally going still. A tiny "Ding!" sound announced that the Nidoran had been captured at last.

Tony grinned. "Gotcha," he declared as he picked up the Pokéball, the capture Nidoran glaring at him through the transparent lid. "That's for stealing my lunch."

"Freeh?" Lucky chirped, confused. Was her trainer actually considering training another non-Bug-type?

As if reading the Butterfree's mind, Tony explained: "The Professor asked us to catch and catalogue Pokémon, remember? I mean, he gave us the Pokédex, so we might as well do him that favor." He placed Nidoran's Pokéball onto his pocket. "It's not like I'm going to train every Pokémon I catch, guys. I'll send them to the Professor to take care of. They'll be much happier with him."

Lucky wiped an imaginary drop of sweat from her brow. "Freeh," she gasped, relieved.

Tony began digging through his bag, trying to find bandages to wrap up his wound. "Finish up with lunch," he advised his Pokémon, "and we'll go and catch some more. It'll be great practice for our Gym Battle and we can help out Professor Oak at the same time!"

Lucky, Spear, and the still-unnamed Squirtle all nodded in agreement, eagerly returning to their meals. Tony, meanwhile, wrapped a small strand of gauze around his hand, his lost bento and wounded hand forgotten as the adrenaline of the adventure returned to him once more.

* * *

"_Pidgey," _the Pokédex chimed, _"the __Tiny Bird Pokémon. A Normal/Flying-type. Average Height: 1'00. Average Weight: 8 lbs. A common sight in forests in woods. It flaps its wings at ground level to kick up blinding sand." This specimen is female and scans show that it is roughly two years old. Its power level is three."_

Said Pokémon was a small tan and brown bird with black marks over her eyes. "Pidge!" she chirped, rapidly flapping her wings and unleashing a flurry of dusty wind at her opponents.

"Spear, fly up!" Tony ordered.

"Bzz!" Spear buzzed, shooting into the air and flying over Pidgey's Gust attack.

"Now, use Poison Sting!" Tony cried.

The Beedrill proudly raised his sharpened stinger into the air and swiftly dive-bombed the wide-eyed Normal/Flying-type, planting his prod right into her feathery chest.

"Pidge!" Pidgey cried as she hit the ground, badly wounded by the poisoned poker.

Tony pulled out a second Pokéball and let it fly. "Gotcha!" he shouted as the capsule bounced against Pidgey's back, swiftly popping open and capturing her. The Pokéball plopped to the ground and wobbled a few times before giving off a "Ding!"

Tony gave Spear a thumbs-up. Lucky and Squirtle applauded him (albeit the former did so reluctantly). "Good job," the blond congratulated as he pocketed the Pokéball. "Two down and… what was it…? One-hundred and forty-four?"

"Freeh…" Lucky groaned, shaking her head. She couldn't count, but she knew a big number when she heard one.

Tony sighed with a nod. "Yeah… Wait a second, is the Professor forgetting Baby Pokémon, or does he just not know that they exist yet?"

* * *

It didn't take them long to find another wild Pokémon to catch. Thanks to the infestation, the grassy hills that rose above Pewter City were crawling with small and weak Pokémon, most of which were smart enough to steer clear of the human and his obviously-stronger Pokémon, which Tony was fine with. He preferred to prey upon the stupid and overly confident Pokémon; it helped nullify the tiny amount of guilt one can't help but feel when shoving animals into tiny balls.

Yet another familiar face had shown up to combat the blond, this one belonging to a Rattata, much like the one trained by Tony's fangirl Mary. Tony had come across the purple rodent whilst it was foraging in the grass and the Normal-type had responded with a Quick Attack to the gut. It had already lost its territory within the Viridian, and it wasn't about to lose what meager food it could gather out here to a human.

_"Rattata, the Mouse Pokémon," _the Pokédex droned. _"A p__ure Normal-type. Average Height: 1'00. Average Weight: 8 lbs. Bites anything when it attacks. Small and very quick; it's a common sight in many places. This specimen is male and scans show it to be about four years old. Its power level is five."_

Tony pocketed the 'dex and was just about to order Lucky to use her Sleep Powder on the Rattata when Squirtle leaped forward. "Squirt, squirt!" he declared, eagerly gesturing to himself and then to the growling rodent.

The meaning was clear, and Tony didn't like it. "Uh… L-let's let Lucky handle this one, okay?"

Squirtle blinked. "S-squirt?!"

"W-well, this guy might be a little over your level," Tony lied. Squirtle's level was equal to the Rattata's, but the Tiny Turtle Pokémon didn't know that.

"Squirt…" Squirtle groaned in a whiny voice. He folded his arms and stepped aside with a grumble, allowing his Butterfree companion to take point.

"I-it's alright," Tony told the reptile. "I mean, you'll get, uh, your chance eventually…"

"Eeek!" the Rattata squeaked, leaping forward with his fangs gleaming in the sun. Unfortunately for the rodent, a single puff of Sleep Dust from Lucky was all it took to put him down, and like Nidoran and Pidgey before him, he was swiftly caught and pocketed by the blond.

* * *

The sun was beginning to slowly dip into the distant mountains to the west. A slightly cool breeze began to gently blow across the hills. Night was coming, and Tony knew that he had to get a move on.

The blond's boots pounded against the gravel path that ran alongside the road as he, Lucky, Spear, and Squirtle charged down the path, Pewter City growing closer and closer to them with each step or flap that they took.

All afternoon had been spent training or catching Pokémon, and it had ultimately resulted in very little leveling-wise. According to the Pokédex, Lucky and Spear had both only gained one level. Whilst Tony had been disappointed, he was not surprised. He had been training Lucky and Spear for years with weak Pokémon such as those, and they just weren't able to provide the sort of workout needed to boost their strength too much.

Nevertheless, the group's confidence was soaring, and it grew with each step they took towards their first destination. Lucky and Spear felt invincible and Tony's excitement was at its peak, each step making his heart beat faster as they slowly drew closer and closer to Pewter.

The only one who was somewhat, though not entirely, lacking in optimism was, naturally, Squirtle. The poor fellow was trudging alongside his trainer, looking slightly downcast. They had run into dozens of Pokémon on their journey so far, and Tony hadn't let him battle a single one of them, each time citing a different excuse: "This one looks a little too tough for you," or "Maybe next time," or "Pidgey are really fast. I don't think you could keep up with him." The list went on.

Poor, poor Squirtle was beginning to feel rather unwanted. Whilst his trainer seemed to be quite friendly, he wasn't giving the reptile any chance to prove himself. His fellow Pokémon, sadly, weren't much more encouraging; neither one had said so much as two words to him all the while they had been travelling together, and he was beginning to suspect that they weren't comfortable with his presence. Why was beyond him. After all, he wasn't a bad Pokémon.

Maybe they were all just shy. That had to be it. Squirtle nodded. They just needed to get used to him, that's all. All he needed to do was give them time… or show them that he was just like them. Then they could be buddies!

Something rustled in the grass nearby. Tony and his bugs were in a hurry, so they hardly noticed it, but Squirtle did. A yellow tail, shaped like a bolt of lightning, glided through the top of the grass, much like a fin of a Fish Pokémon riding above the surface of the water.

Squirtle's eyes went wide and a toothless grin split his face. A wild Pokémon! And better yet, one that he and his trainer hadn't seen yet! This was it – the perfect moment to show his stuff.

He quickly veered to the left, charging towards the grass and accidently tripping Tony in the process. However, Squirtle didn't notice the blond plummet to the ground or even hear his cry or the cries of Lucky and Spear as they rushed to steady their friend.

"Squirt!" Squirtle cheered as he leaped into the grass. The small yellow Pokémon he was targeting heard him cry and looked up, eyes going wide and squeaking in surprise. Before it could do anything, Squirtle slammed into its side with a powerful Tackle attack, sending the creature flying into the foliage.

Squirtle grinned, raising his tiny arms in victory. "Squirt!" he declared proudly.

"Squirtle!" Tony shouted.

Squirtle's eyes widened and his smile became awkward. That didn't sound like a praising tone coming from his trainer. It sounded like he was… angry.

Tony had picked himself up from the path and was currently wiping his wounded palms off on his pants. The skin on his hands had been slightly torn up by the sharp gravel, and the knees of his jeans had been torn. "W-what was that about?" Tony asked unhappily, trying to control his temper.

Squirtle's smiled vanished entirely. "S-squirt…" he began slowly.

"Chu…" growled a voice from the shrubs.

Before Squirtle could give his sheepish apology, a sudden burst of bright yellow lightning leaped out of the tall grass and struck him in the back. The reptile shrieked in agony and hit the ground, electricity still coursing down his prone form.

Tony gaped. "W-what the-?!"

Predator and pretty switched roles as the Pokémon Squirtle was so sure he had vanquished leaped out of the foliage. It was small and pudgy, rodent-like in shape with yellow fur and long ears. Its cheeks had little red dots on them, and its eyes were tiny and black. Its yellow lightning bolt-shaped tail waved back and forth. "Chu!" the creature screamed in an angry, high-pitched voice.

Tony whipped out his Pokédex in a flash. _"Pikachu," _it said, _"the Mouse Pokémo__n. A pure Electric-type. Average Height: 1'04. Average Weight: 13 lbs. When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity could build and cause lightning storms. This specimen is male and scans show it to be roughly four years old. Its special ability is Static. Its power level is six."_

Tony nodded, recognizing the Mouse Pokémon in an instant. He, Lucky, and Spear had dealt with several of them during his Pallet Patrol. The little rodents had been eating up power cables in town for their electricity, resulting in blackouts, panic, and Pappy missing his baseball game. Fortunately for the citizens of Pallet, Tony had quickly set to work and dealt with the Pikachu, resulting in one of his earliest heroic acts.

As such, dealing with one Pikachu was hardly a challenge, and Spear didn't even need an order from Tony to do it. Before the Electric-type could release another Thunderbolt, he had two sharpened needles thrust right into his face. The Mouse Pokémon went down with a pained "Chuu!" and went silent, quickly hit by Tony's Pokéball and captured alongside of the others.

Unfortunately, this victory brought little satisfaction for Tony or his bugs. The blond quickly made his way to the smoking Squirtle, who was sprawled out on the ground, still reeling from a super-effective attack.

"Stupid…" Tony muttered before he could stop himself. Thankfully, Squirtle was unconscious and hadn't heard him say it.

Tony slowly picked up the twitching reptile, frowning at the stupefied grin that was on his face. What on earth had Squirtle been thinking?! Electricity was incredibly powerful against Water-type Pokémon and still the turtle had rushed right in without thinking of the consequences.

The blond snapped his fingers a few times in Squirtle's face. No response, save for that stupefied twitching grin. A moment of panic was temporarily quelled by placing his head on the reptile's chest and hearing the tell-tale sign of life that was its heart beating… although he had heard that the hearts of Squirtle didn't stop beating for several hours after death, even if separated from its body.

"S-squirt…" Squirtle wheezed.

Tony gave a sigh of relief. Squirtle would live. "What am I gonna do with you?" he muttered, pulling out the Water-type's Pokéball and returning him inside it. Clipping the ball to his belt, he turned to Lucky and Spear. "Looks like we're going to have to make a stop at the Pokémon Center before going to the Pewter Gym, guys," he told them.

"Freeh…" Lucky groaned, face-palming.

"I know, I know," Tony replied. "Just calm down. We've got some time. We can make it." Making sure Squirtle was securely attached to his belt, he started forward again. "Let's get a move on. And if either of you see any wild Pokémon that we haven't caught yet, please just tell me instead of charging right for them."

Lucky and Spear nodded in agreement.

* * *

Pewter City, "The City between Rugged Mountains," put one word in the mouth of anyone who saw it: "Rocks."

It was surrounded by a wide field of gravel, stones, and towering mountains. All of the buildings were made from unpainted stones, save for the shingled roofs. The ground had a few sparse patches of vegetation, but for the most part consisted of pavement.

How anyone could stand living there, without trees, grass, and lakes was beyond Tony.

Pewter was larger than Pallet Town, but only by a small margin, and it was still much smaller than Viridian City. Evidently, living in such a stony place wasn't an appealing thought to most people. The citizens of Pewter were hardy folks, descended from the stonecutters of old Kanto, the ones who helped build the great castles of the Feudal Era, and even their modern descendants reflected that. They were darker-skinned than most other Kantonians, though not as dark as Nicole was, with darker hair and larger frames. The majority of people that Tony and co. passed on their way through town were all either very large or very strong-looking.

It wasn't as though Tony hadn't been to Pewter before – as mentioned previously, he had gone to the local museum with Aunt Sally – but he had never taken a stroll through the town before. It was a truly alien place to him, almost like something out of a dream or a fantasy story. He slowly walked through the city in an almost dreamlike state of being, looking around and taking in the sights as he slowly made his way to the Gym.

His trip to the Gym was lengthened by the necessary trip to the local Pokémon Center, where the nurse healed his wounded Squirtle. By the time he arrived at the Gym, the sun had finally dipped behind the hills and the light was starting to die. The Pewter City Gym was a large building, made of, of course, sand-colored rocks, with a strange, house-shaped metal frame surrounding it, as if someone had begun constructing a building around the stone for whatever reason and neglected to finish. Had there not been a large sign reading "Pewter City Gym" on the top in black letters, Tony wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the Gym and every other building in town.

Fortunately for the blond, another sign was posted by the front door: "Pewter City Pokémon Gym. Leader: Brock, the Rock Solid Pokémon Trainer! Open Weekdays from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Gym Leader breaks for lunch from 12:00 P.M. to 1:45 P.M."

Tony sweat-dropped and chuckled. "Huh. 'Rock Solid Pokémon Trainer.' Wonder what kind of Pokémon _he_ uses…" He checked his watch. 6:30 P.M. He still had plenty of time to make his challenge. "You guys ready?" he asked Lucky and Spear.

"Freeh…" Lucky chirped nervously.

Tony nodded in an understanding way. If his guess was correct, Brock would be using Rock-type Pokémon, who were incredibly powerful against Bug/Flying-types like Lucky. "Look, I know you're nervous," he told the Butterfree, "but don't worry. I mean, we took a Magmar the other day, didn't we? If we can handle one of those with no problem, we can definitely handle some Rock-types. All we need to do is fight smart. All brain, no pain, as they say."

Spear nodded. "Bzz!" he agreed.

Tony crapped his hands together. "We'll finish this quick," he told his bugs, "and then go back to the Pokémon Center to call Auntie. She'll be so proud of us!"

Both Lucky and Spear nodded in agreement, believing every word that their trainer had said. After all, if they could handle Fire-types, Rock-types couldn't be nearly as difficult.

You're beginning to see the problem here, aren't you? Well, Tony, Lucky, and Spear hadn't – and it cost them. When they stepped beyond the sliding doors and into the Gym, they had made a grave mistake – one that would cost them.

* * *

Like the town it was set in, the Pewter City Gym put one word on the lips of anyone who stepped inside of it: "Rocks."

The Gym was hardly impressive, really. It was a plain rectangular structure, inside and out. The inside was just like the outside, with walls and a ceiling made of unpainted stone. Lights were hung from the ceiling, some of them flickering weakly, and statues of great rocky snakelike Pokémon were erected in each corner of the room, as well as on either side of the entryway.

A large arena, with an area of roughly two-hundred feet, was placed in the middle, completely square in shape, with a four posts surrounding it, each one linked by three ropes. It reminded Tony a great deal of a jumbo-sized wrestling ring, made of, of course, rock. It was one huge slate of stone, with jagged boulders randomly strewn about the area. The arena had to sets of spectator stands, made from simple metal, on both sides, as well as two platforms in front of the stands, that were elevated to be at the same height of the arena. Tony guessed that they were for the Gym Leader and challenger. A third platform, which he supposed was for a referee, was placed in front of the arena and between the stands.

Tony's heart was beating like a drum as he walked inside the massive room, each step he took echoing eerily. Though the door was open and the lights were on, he couldn't see anyone at all. "H-hello…?" he called weakly, wincing as his meager tone bounced off of the walls and answered to him in a ghostly way.

"Well, hello there!"

Tony's eyes went wide. That wasn't an echo! He whirled in around in surprise and found himself staring up at a tall, thin man with dark hair and gleaming glasses. He was wearing a long dark trench coat, which was bizarre given how warm it was that day.

The man smiled widely down at him. "Nice to see a new face," he said, offering his hand to the blond. "My name is Jo. I'm a… traveler."

"Oh…" Tony sweat-dropped, not sure why this strange man had bothered to introduce himself to him. "W-well, my name is Tony, Mr. Jo. I'm a Pokémon Trainer and I'm looking for the local Gym Leader, Mr. Brock. Do you work for him or know where he is?"

Jo shook his head. "No, no. Like I said. I'm just a traveler. But, I know a thing or two about the Pokémon Gyms in Kanto. Why, I know everything about everything, regarding the Gym Leader's Pokémon and possible strategies. For example, the local Gym Leader, Brock, uses Rock-type Pokémon. Water and Grass-types will be…"

"Very effective, I know," Tony interrupted. "Look, I'm sorry, but I need to find the Gym Leader, so… Yeah…"

To his surprise, Jo's smile only grew. "O-of course," he replied quickly. "I wouldn't want to keep you from your Gym Battle, would I? Eh… Well..." He made a waving motion with his hands. "Carry on."

"I… will, thanks," Tony managed, swiftly making a beeline for the arena. "What a weirdo," he murmured to Lucky the moment he was certain he was out of Jo's earshot.

"Freeh," the Butterfree agreed.

Jo said nothing. He simply sat there, at the entrance of the arena, and watched Tony and his bugs as they made their way to the ring. He didn't make a sound, but slowly moved his hand to the side of his glasses, pressing down on a tiny button on the side.

As Tony approached the arena, he caught sight of a young man, who looked to be roughly the same age as he was, sweeping up the floor to ensure that the dust was spread about enough. He was a little taller than Tony was, with tanned skin, spiky brown hair, and squinty black eyes. He was wearing an orange shirt and tan, dirty pants. Three Pokéballs were clipped to his belt, which led Tony to the logical assumption that he was a trainer – maybe even a Gym Leader? He looked a little young, but stranger things had happened.

Swallowing his shyness, he called over to the youth, pulling himself up onto the arena. "Uh… Hello?"

The boy looked up from his sweeping. "Eh?"

Tony climbed over the ropes, Lucky and Spear flying over to his side. "Are you the Gym Leader here?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

The boy shook his head. "Nope, but you're close." He gave a polite smile. "Name's Forrest. The Gym Leader, Brock, is my older brother. I just train with him and help around the Gym." He leaned over on his broom and held his hand out to the visitor.

Tony reluctantly shook Forrest's hand. "Eh, hi. I'm Tony, Tony Miller."

"Nice to meet you," Forrest said politely. "My brother's in the back, healing his Pokémon after their last match. Why are you looking for him?"

"Well," Tony explained, "my Pokémon and I came here for a Gym Battle with him."

Forrest blinked – well, Tony thought he blinked; it was hard to tell – in surprise. "You?" he asked.

Tony nodded. "Yeah. I want to challenge him for a Boulder Badge. See, I was going to challenge Mr. Giovanni, but something came up and we…"

Forrest raised his hand, silencing Tony. The tan-skinned boy placed his broom against one of the jagged boulders and then turned back to the blond, scratching his chin thoughtfully. He looked at Tony, then at Lucky, and then at Spear. "Hmm…"

"What?" Tony asked, confused.

"How long have you been travelling?" Forrest asked.

"Uh… just started today…"

"And how many badges do you have?"

"None."

"Hmm…"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Is, uh, something wrong?"

"Yeah." Forrest nodded. "There is."

"And… that would be?"

Forrest got straight to the point. "Go home."

Tony blinked. "Eh?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Forrest picked up his broom and resumed his sweeping. "Go home. You've only just begun your journey and you're planning on challenging an opponent way beyond your level already. You're not ready to fight Brock."

"N-not ready…?" Tony stuttered.

"Well, yeah," Forrest replied in a "duh!" tone. "You've got two Bug-types and no Gym Badges. You're not ready for a trainer like my brother. You're light-years away from beating him."

"B-but don't light-years measure time and not distance…?"

Forrest rolled his eyes (or so Tony thought; again, it was hard to tell). "Whatever. Either way, you're not ready. I can just tell."

Tony's eyes narrowed and the meek, confused look was replaced by a reddened face of frustration. "You can 'just tell'?" he asked.

"Yup," Forrest replied matter-of-factly.

Tony scowled. "You… you don't know who I am…"

Forrest chuckled; evidently he heard that a lot. "Should I?" he asked.

"Tony Miller?" Tony offered. "You know, that kid who's been keeping Pallet Town safe from rabid Pokémon attacks? Ring any bells?"

Forrest shook his head. "Nope."

Tony slapped his face. "You've gotta be kidding me…"

"Even if I had heard about you," Forrest added casually, "that doesn't mean you're anything special. So you defended some little middle-of-nowhere village. Anyone with Pokémon could do that."

"Yeah, but I was the only one who did," Tony retorted.

"You're not good enough to beat my big bro," Forrest repeated. "Go train some more – and catch some Pokémon that aren't Bug-types. A Grass-type would probably be a good choices, or a Water-type. You know, why don't you go study type match-ups before you…"

"I _know_… the type match-ups," Tony said in a strained tone. "It's possible to beat Rock-types with Bug-types."

"Sure it is," Forrest replied with a chuckle.

Tony turned red. "L-look, just tell your brother I'm here, okay?"

Forrest shook his head. "You're not good enough," he insisted. "You'd just be wasting your time. You can't beat my big bro; he'd wipe the floor with you! Heck, I could probably beat you."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Sure you could…"

Forrest looked up from his sweeping. "Is that a challenge?" he asked with a frown.

"Maybe it is," Tony replied, folding his arms.

Forrest dropped the broom altogether. "You'd just be wasting your time," he insisted.

"I've already wasted enough talking to you," Tony retorted, more harshly than he had anticipated. "You said you could beat me and that you're trained by Brock. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

Tony regretted what he had said the moment he had said it, but he had been helpless to stop it. Forrest had pushed all the right buttons and now he was going to pay for his arrogance.

The tan boy sighed. "If I win, you leave," he told Tony.

"And if I win, you go and get the real Gym Leader," Tony replied.

Forrest nodded. "Deal," he said. Then, he turned away and made his way to the platform on the right of the arena, the one usually reserved for his older brother. Tony turned and made his way to the opposing platform, Lucky and Spear slowly flying after him.

"Freeh?" Lucky chirped in a quiet, concerned tone.

Tony sighed. "I… I know," he said apologetically. "It's just… the way he brushed off all we'd done as if it were nothing… it made me so mad…" He clenched his fist.

"Bzz," Spear buzzed with a casual shrug. As far as the Beedrill was concerned, Forrest had this coming.

The two young men climbed up onto their platforms and faced off, the flickering lights on the ceiling casting eerie light upon them. There was a brief silence as the two stared one another down, both of them wondering whether or not this fight was really worth it.

"How does one Pokémon sound?" Forrest asked. The quicker the battle, the quicker he could teach this newbie some humility, the sooner he could be rid of him.

"Sounds fine to me," Tony replied with a nod.

"Good. Then I choose…" Forrest pulled a Pokéball from his belt and tossed it into the air. "Sandshrew!" he shouted.

In a bright flash, the Gym Trainer's Pokémon emerged and landed onto the dusty battlefield. It was a pangolin*4-like creature, colored dark tan save for its white belly. Its body and tail were covered in hardened skin. It had small stubby legs and arms, ending with sharp claws, and its eyes were almond-shaped and black. "Shrew, shrew!" it cried in a rather nasally voice.

Tony whipped out his Pokédex, surprising Forrest. "H-hey, what is…?" the tan-skinned boy began.

"Shush, you," Tony interrupted. "Gimme what you've got, Pokédex!"

_"Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon," _the Pokédex droned. _"A pure Ground-type. Average Height: 2'00. Average Weight: 26 lbs. Burrows deep underground in arid locations far fro__m water. It only emerges to hunt for food. This specimen is male and scans suggest that it is six years old. Its special ability is Sand Veil. Its power level is eleven."_

Spear gave an excited buzz, rubbing his stingers together. A power level of eleven? That seemed to be a bigger number than the weakling Pokémon that they had run across on the way to the Gym. _Maybe,_ he thought, _this guy will actually be a challenge…_

"Oh, man, you have one of those things, too?" Forrest asked.

Tony blinked, surprised, as he put the 'dex away. "What do you mean 'too'?" he asked.

Forrest frowned. "Some redheaded jerk – Blue I think his name was – came in here earlier with an Earth Badge and a Victreebel. He battled my big bro just before you arrived and won, and he was using one of those… eh, Pokédex things, too."

Tony frowned and clenched his fists. Blue was still ahead of him. "Well, his grandfather gave me one, too," he explained calmly.

Forrest rolled his eyes. "Whatever. It's not gonna help you beat me, that's for sure. Now, send out your Pokémon!" he ordered.

Tony nodded. "Fine," he said. "I choose…" He turned around and saw that Spear was raising his stinger up and down. "Spear," he decided.

"Bzz!" Spear cheered, swiftly buzzing out to the battlefield and hovering above the waiting Sandshrew.

"Freeh…" Lucky groaned, disappointed.

"Don't worry," Tony told her with a reassuring grin, "I'm saving you for Brock."

"You won't get the chance!" Forrest shouted. "Sandshrew, use Sand-Attack!"

"Shrew!" Sandshrew cried. The Mouse Pokémon swiftly spun about, planting its tail into the dust, and knocked up a burst of sand into the air. Spear buzzed angrily as he felt the sand sting his large eyes, covering his faces with his stingers to avoid getting any more dust in his face.

"Now, use Scratch!" Forrest shouted.

Sandshrew leaped into the air, raising his sharpened claws and swiping them viciously at his hovering opponent.

"Spear, fly up!" Tony countered. The hornet-like Pokémon shot into action with ease, quickly rising beyond the reach of the smaller Pokémon. He then quickly proceeded to wipe the dust from his eyes, his stinging vision clearing up again.

"H-hey cleared the sand out of his eyes!" Forrest cried, surprised.

"Uh… Yeah," Tony replied with a nod. "Why wouldn't he?"

"I… don't have an answer for that," Forrest admitted. "Uh, Sandshrew, use Swift!"

Sandshrew nodded, raising his arms into the air and generating a mysterious glow from his claws. In an instant several star-shaped projectiles burst into existence and shot towards his hornet-like adversary.

"Spear, move it!" Tony ordered.

"Bzz!" Spear agreed, swiftly buzzing up into the air. To his and his trainer's surprise, however, the stars followed after him, arching into the air and sailing towards him with deadly speed.

Tony winced as Spear brought up his stingers and formed them into a cross to defend himself. The first star struck the Beedrill's defense and knocked it aside, and the next three struck the Bug/Poison-type right in the thorax. With a pained buzz, Spear began to plummet as his wings froze up.

"Spear!" Tony shouted, shocked. "No!"

Forrest gave a grim smile of satisfaction. "Just like I thought…"

Sandshrew nodded. "Shrew shrew."

"Bzz…" Spear groaned. _Oh, no, I'm falling. Help me…_ The Beedrill's scarlet eyes flashed with malice. "Bzz!" _Gotcha!_

Sandshrew blinked. "S-shrew?!"

Spear spun around, surprising everyone, and his wings burst back to life, bringing his plummet to an end.

Tony wiped a drop of sweat from his brow. "Heh… For a moment you really had me going, buddy," he told his Beedrill.

Spear chuckled. "Bzz? Bzz!" _What, you thought that was it for me? I barely felt a thing!_

"Freeh?! Freeh!" Lucky scolded. _Would you take this seriously?! We're trying to win here! _

Forrest frowned. "Darn it… Sandshrew, let's wrap this up, okay? Give him another Swift!"

Sandshrew raised his claws and unleashed another barrage of stars at his hovering foe. The projectiles shot through the air towards Spear in a flash.

Tony narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. "Spear, go up!" he ordered, his Beedrill quickly snapping into action and shooting into the air, the stars following after him like homing missiles.

Tony frowned as Spear dodged and weaved left and right, the stars streaking after him. Before long, the air was a blur of flashing lights and buzzing wings. _This is getting crazy,_ the blond thought to himself, _and something tells me that this kid wouldn't mind just spamming the same move over and over if it meant winning. I gotta think of something… _

Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind. _Well, if it works on TV…_ "Spear, fly towards Sandshrew!" he ordered.

Spear shot his trainer a salute and quickly did as ordered, shooting down towards the Ground-type with the stars streaking after him.

Forrest raised an eyebrow. "What is he…?"

"Get behind Sandshrew, quick!" Tony shouted suddenly.

Forrest scowled. "Sandshrew," he shouted as the Beedrill landed behind his Pokémon, "turn and use Scratch!"

Sandshrew scowled. "Shrew!" he growled, whirling about and slashing at Spear with his claws.

"Block it!" Tony ordered.

"Bzz!" Spear buzzed as he raised his stingers and swiftly crossed them across his thorax once more. Sandshrew's claws uselessly scraped against the insect's defense.

Forrest's gaped as he realized what was going on. "Sandshrew, move!" he shouted.

The Mouse Pokémon's eyes went wide as he felt the vicious impact of his own Swift attack pepper against his back. "S-shrew?!" he exclaimed. Both he and his trainer realized Tony's strategy at last: he had Spear maneuver behind Sandshrew so that the stars, which were still following Spear, would collide with the Ground-type in their attempt to get to the Bug/Poison-type.

"Now!" Tony shouted. "Twin Needle!"

"Bzz!" Spear cried as he raised his sharp stingers into the air and swiftly planted them right into the stunned Sandshrew's gut. The Ground-type's eyes bulged and he wheezed painfully. Spear gave a buzzing growl and stabbed the Sandshrew once more, sending the Ground-type flying.

"Sandshrew, no!" Forrest shouted.

Sandshrew painfully skid across the sandy battlefield, kicking up dust and sand as he finally came to a stop. When the dust cleared, Sandshrew was lying on the ground, completely limp and still.

It was over.

"No…" Forrest muttered, dumbfounded.

"Yes!" Tony cheered, feeling quite satisfied. "Great job, Spear!"

Spear raised his stingers into the air. "Bzz!" he boasted.

Tony looked over to Forrest, who was returning the unconscious Sandshrew to his Pokéball. "Convinced?" he asked, trying to keep his tone polite.

Forrest sighed. "Fine, fine…" he muttered. "I'll call my big bro…"

"That won't be necessary."

The sudden stern, gravelly voice surprised both Tony and Forrest. They both turned to see a tall man climb over the ropes and step onto the battlefield.

He looked much like Forrest, except he was taller, tanner, and had darker hair. He wasn't wearing a shirt, for whatever reason, exposing his rather impressive physique. He was wearing a pair of baggy grey pants, which were stained with dirt, and no shoes. Two Pokéballs were attached to his loose belt, gleaming brightly in the flickering lights.

Forrest grinned. "Hey, Brock," he greeted.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Enter Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader! Will Tony be able to defeat Brock, or was Forrest's initial assessment of him correct? And will our hero ever be able to catch up with his rival Blue?**

**Tune in next time to find out! **

**Reader Question Time! If you were a Gym Leader, what kind of Pokémon would you train? I'd personally use Poison-types or Rock-types. Answer after you review!**

* * *

**Culture Time!**

***1: The movie where they clone prehistoric Pokémon and put them in a theme park: This is a reference to the American film **_**Jurassic Park, **_**based off the Michael Crichton book of the same name, in which scientists clone dinosaurs to put them in a theme park, keeping them secure behind electric fences. When the power goes out, the dinosaurs escape and wreak havoc across the park. **

***2: Bento: A Japanese boxed lunch. Whilst available in convenience stores, grocery markets, subway stations, and specialized shops, many Japanese homemakers put an intense amount of time and effort into making perfect bento boxes. **

***3: Mochi: A Japanese rice cake, made from a short-grain japonica glutinous rice that is mashed into a paste and molded into the desired shape. They can be stuffed with red beans, soy beans, etc. **

***4: Pangolin: A Pangolin, sometimes called a scaly anteater, is a rare mammal that lives in Africa and Asia. Its name comes from the Malay word ****"****pengguling,****"**** meaning "something that rolls up." All of those guys who whine and moan about Pokémon beyond Gen 1 resembling real animals can officially shut the heck up, because Sandshrew is likely based off of a real, if not obscure, animal from the east.**

* * *

**Next time… Pewter Saga: Chapter 3: Tony vs. Brock! **


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